KOTA BHARU: Angkatan Keadilan Insan Malaysia (AKIM) president Hanafi Hamat said the party will contest the Manik Urai state by-election.

"I am offering myself up as the AKIM candidate for Manik Urai so that voters will have a choice," he told Bernama here today (27 May).

Hanafi's last outing was in Aug last year when he contested and lost the Permatang Pauh parliamentary by-election in Penang.

Manik Urai fell vacant following the death of Ismail Yaacob of PAS on May 22. Ismail, 60, died at Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital after a heart attack.

PAS and Barisan Nasional (BN) are expected to contest the state seat. The Eection Commission (SPR) will meet on Thursday to fix nomination and polling day for the Manik Urai by-election.

In the general election last year, Ismail who was also Kuala Krai PAS deputy chief beat Mohamed Zulkifli of BN with a 1,325 majority. (Bernama)