SHAH ALAM 5 October - Former PKR secretary-general Khalid Ibrahim has announced that he will contest for a "high position" in the upcoming party polls but refused to reveal any specifics.

"As one of the party leaders and the Menteri Besar of a Pakatan Rakyat Government, I see the need to make a decision that is brave, bold and wise, to ensure party unity is intact. I hereby offer myself to contest for a position within the party's top leadership," he said.

Khalid (left) added that he will only reveal the position that he is gunning for on Oct 10, after PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim returns from overseas.

Khalid said that he is withholding details to avoid "unhealthy speculation" and to save Anwar the trouble of answering media queries while in a different time zone.

He claims that he has informed both Anwar and party president Dr Wan Azizah Ismail of his decision and had received their blessings.

"I will also initiate discussion with top leadership in the party as well as within Pakatan Rakyat before making my announcement," he said.

Khalid, who is Selangor menteri besar, made the announcement at his official residence in Shah Alam this evening.

The MB, who was flanked by Selangor PKR deputy chief Syed Shahrir Syed Mohamud, inadvertently implied that he will indeed join the heated deputy president contest.

Answering a question on whether "dirty politics" has entered the contest for number two, he said: "Not yet. There has been some seriousness in the discussions and the quality has been good.

"I just don't want that there to be a rift after the polls are over, so I ask that I join (the contest) so there is some balance in the competition," he said.

He had earlier expressed sadness over "ongoing campaign tactics and ugly incidents that took place during division elections" and had urged PKR leaders to "do away with old traditions of dirty politics".

"Factional leadership and personal attacks are things of the past," he said.

Claims of smear campaigns has been rife in the deputy president race with Zaid Ibrahim accusing fellow candidate Azmin Ali (right) of this early into the game.

Pundits have cautioned that the neck-to-neck fight has the potential to split the party, especially with PKR elected representatives publicly backing one candidate over the other.

Top leaders like incumbent Syed Husin Ali and vice president Dr Lee Boon Chye have only joined the fray, largely lambasting Zaid.

The battle turned more colourful last Friday as vice president Mustaffa Kamil Ayub announced his intention to vie for the same post.

Mustaffa comes in third in the nominations race which sees Azmin leading the pack.

Khalid has barely qualified to contest with only four nominations