KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) has never authorised the use of pictures of the His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, for campaigning in the Kuala Kubu Baru state by-election, its election director Ng Sze Han said today.

Ng, who is also Selangor DAP secretary, deplored using the royal institution for politics.

"As the campaign director for the PH KKB by-election, I would like to clarify that we have never directed or allowed such actions by any of our campaign personnel.

"The act of using the image of His Majesty in the campaign is inappropriate and should not have occurred,” he said in a statement.

Two men have been arrested after the Opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) shared pictures of Sultan Ibrahim’s portrait being displayed on the back of a pick-up truck during the Selangor state by-election campaigning over the weekend.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said both men aged 66 are being investigated for malicious intent under Section 4A (1) of the Election Offences Act 1954, and are expected to be charged under the Election Offences Act at the Magistrate’s Court in Kuala Kubu Baru soon.

Ng said the ruling coalition will cooperate with police investigations, but did not confirm or deny if the two detained men were party members.

PH is fielding Pang Sock Tao, who is also from DAP. She is competing against three others: Khairul Azhari Saut from Bersatu-PN, Hafizah Zainudin from Parti Rakyat Malaysia, and Nyau Ke Xin.

The seat fell vacant following the death of its three-term assemblyman, Lee Kee Hiong, on March 21 due to cancer.

In the Selangor state election last August, Lee, who was also from DAP, beat candidates from PN, PRM and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) by a majority of 4,119 votes.

Early voting for security personnel and their spouses who are registered in Kuala Kubu Baru begins tomorrow with polling day on May 11.