KUALA LUMPUR – MCA has reminded Penang Pakatan Harapan (PH) chief Chow Kon Yeow to include every component party in the unity government in its seat negotiations ahead of the coming state election.
Penang MCA chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng slammed DAP’s Chow for discussing seats only with Umno, saying that it is “not in line with the spirit of the unity government”.
“Discussions about seats for the upcoming state election should be between Barisan Nasional and PH, inclusive of all component parties from both coalitions, and the final decision made by the top leadership of the unity government,” he said in a statement.
Tan, who is also MCA vice-president, claimed that Chow had said multiple times that PH and BN would negotiate the allocation of seats together.
He added that Chow had emphasised that it would be a discussion between coalitions, and there would be no private arrangements between parties.
“How does Chow explain the upcoming meeting with Umno?”
Chow, who is also Penang chief minister, said the state PH would have its own meeting ahead of the talks with Umno.
“We have received a request from Penang Umno for a meeting and a tentative date has been fixed.”
Penang, Kedah, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Kelantan, and Terengganu will hold their state elections this year.
In the 2018 general election, PH, including Bersatu, won 37 of the 40 seats in the Penang assembly.
BN won two seats and PAS won one seat in 2018. PAS and Bersatu have since teamed up under Perikatan Nasional. – The Vibes, April 28, 2023
