The yet-to-be-registered Parti Mahasiswa Negara (PMN) has requested that the opposition alliance make way for their candidate in the Kapala Batas parliamentary seat.

In a statement, the newly formed party’s pro-tem president Azlan Zainal said they are ready and have sufficient funds to challenge the BN in the constituency.

"We are ready to fight. (Kepala Batas) is our choice to give back to the community and our chosen battleground to air our views.

"We hope that we can challenge them in a straight fight. From all our work, programs and preparations we are ready to deliver our promises.

"We are optimistic with our agenda for change in the name of upholding the truth. We are fighting for justice," the statement read.

On these grounds, the party, made up of students and graduates, urged other parties to permit PMN to contest.

"Allow us to prove what young graduates can do in the country. We are the future," it stated.

An application to register the party was sent to the Federal Territory branch of the Registrar of Societies on Jan 18 this year.

The party has 2,000 multiracial graduates as members.

The party’s aim is to recruit more students into the party even though political activities by public university students are banned under the Universities and University Colleges Act.

The party’s registration has not been approved by the ROS yet and the party is likely to field its candidate as independents.

However, the party has not officially announced its Kepala Batas candidate according to their spokesperson, Sekh Amir Ali.

"We will announce it in one or two days," he said when contacted.

He also ruled out the party’s earlier consideration to contest in Jeli, a parliamentary seat held by the Higher Education Minister Mustapa Mohamed.

“That was our initial thinking. Now we want to contest against the number one person (in the government),” he said.

Hadi also ready

Kapala Batas is currently held by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who won by a majority of 18,122 votes in the 2004 general election.

He polled 25,403 votes while PAS’ Abdul Rashid Rasid’s only managed 7,281 votes.

The northern Penang town is 73.70 percent Malay, 21.7 percent Chinese, 4.40 percent Indian and .10 percent others.

According to Bernama yesterday, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said he was prepared to face Abdullah if that was what the party wanted.

"If the party asks me to contest (in Kepala Batas), I'm prepared (to do so). I abide by the party's decision.

"(But) whether I contest or otherwise is not important. What is important is that we work to bring about changes," he was quoted as saying.

Abdul Hadi - who is the Rhu Rendang state assemblyperson - added that the final decision on the matter rests with the Penang PAS Liaison Committee.

"What is certain is that PAS will contest in a straight fight (against the Barisan Nasional candidate) in Kepala Batas," he said.