PKR vice-president Tian Chua has slammed his party colleague Rafizi Ramli for allegedly trying to capitalise on the upcoming Port Dickson by-election for the latter's own bid for party deputy presidency.

The New Straits Times also quoted Tian Chua denying that vacating the Port Dickson seat was discussed at the party's political bureau meeting as claimed by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution yesterday.

"No one in the political bureau will tell you that the matter was discussed and decided upon.

"The only thing Saifuddin had said during the meeting on Tuesday was that several seats are being looked into (to be vacated) and a media conference will be held tomorrow (Wednesday).

"Then (as what had transpired during the media conference), it is clear that this (vacating the Port Dickson seat) had been discussed earlier (without the political bureau members)," said Tian.

The former Batu MP said while he is not against PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim's return to Parliament via the Port Dickson by-election, he is opposed to the way the move was hatched.

"It is obvious that Rafizi is using this as his election capital."

Azmin supporters

PKR's Port Dickson MP Danyal Balagopal Abdullah had yesterday announced that he is vacating the parliamentary seat to allow Anwar to contest in it to enable his return to Parliament.

The announcement courted flak from within PKR itself, with its Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin urging Anwar to state his stand on the matter as it was not done via the proper channels.

Both Zuraida and Tian Chua are aligned to incumbent PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, whom Rafizi is going against in the PKR polls.

Saifuddin, meanwhile, had alleged that both Zuraida and Tian Chua were aware of the decision as they are members of the political bureau.

Tian Chua further claimed that it was Rafizi, not Danyal, who had handed over the latter's resignation letter as MP to the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.