PAS today reiterated its preference to have a straight fight in the by-elections in Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar on June 18.

Its deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said if there were three-cornered fights, it would be difficult for the Opposition to achieve victory.

"If Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) or other parties field their candidates, it only will give advantage to Barisan Nasional (BN) to win," he said.

Meanwhile, PAS vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said the party was ready to face Amanah if it fielded candidates in the two by-elections.

He said PAS would have no problem in facing-off against its splinter party in the two seats, as they had been traditionally contested by PAS since 1959.

The by-elections were called after their incumbents Datuk Noriah Kasnon (Sungai Besar) and Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad (Kuala Kangsar), were killed in a helicopter crash in Sebuyau, Sarawak on May 5.