PENANG: Permatang Pauh PAS has warned PKR against fielding Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail or her other family members as the candidate in the by-election here next month.

It has also reminded PKR to ensure that speakers at their by-election ceramah steer clear of hudud.

Its Information chief Jamsari Samad said the two subjects were no-no’s in the constituency.

“This is our conclusion based on ground sentiment. We know that choosing the candidate is PKR’s prerogative, but generally the people here do not want Dr Wan Azizah or any of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s family members to contest.

“If PKR does not want to create an upset here, it should also tell speakers at their ceramah never to discuss hudud, as it is a sacred matter for folk here,” he said yesterday.

Anwar is currently serving a five-year jail term for sodomy. The parliamentary seat fell vacant after his application for a royal pardon was rejected recently.

Anwar had served as the Per­matang Pauh MP from 1982 to 1999 under Barisan Nasional and from 2008 until he was disqualified under PKR.

Wan Azizah contested and won the Permatang Pauh seat in 1999 after the seat fell vacant when Anwar was jailed for abuse of power. She vacated the seat in 2008 to make way for Anwar.

“In 2008, when Wan Azizah re­­signed months after winning the seat for a third term, she said she was retiring to take care of her grandchildren.

“It is going to be tough to justify Wan Azizah’s return if PKR fields her here again,” said Jamsari.

In a related development, PKR deputy Youth chief Dr Afif Bahardin said the result of the by-election would determine the future of Pakatan Rakyat.

“This is the most important seat for Pakatan and we will defend it to our best. The rise and fall of Pakatan will be decided from the result of the by-election,” he said.