GEORGE TOWN – Penang Pakatan Harapan (PH) has reached an agreement regarding seat allocation among its component parties for the coming state polls.
Penang PH chief Chow Kon Yeow said the decision was reached at yesterday’s PH meeting, but he could not reveal in detail the seat allocation as the matter would have to be brought up for discussion at a meeting with Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN).
“... Seeing that (the state polls) this time involves coalitions from outside PH, what we (Penang PH) have decided is subject to further discussions… generally, PH has a position (regarding the seat allocation) for us to bring to the next negotiation with Umno and BN,” he said.
Chow, who is also Penang chief minister, told reporters this after the launch of the state-level Wesak Day celebrations here today, which was also attended by Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ying, who is also Tanjong MP.
Chow said that, in the meeting yesterday, Penang PH also decided that it would continue to contest the seats it won in the 14th general election (GE14).
“We are still subject to the principles agreed upon at the federal level, with PH and BN having already agreed that the incumbents will contest the seats (they won) in the coming state polls. So far, there are no incumbents who want to relinquish their seats,” he said.
Penang has 40 state seats and in GE14, PH won 37, including two by candidates from Bersatu, which was then with the coalition, while BN and PAS each won two and one respectively.
In GE15, Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Kelantan, and Terengganu did not dissolve their assemblies, but the media previously reported that the leaders of these six states had agreed that the best time to do so would be in the last two weeks of June. – Bernama, April 30, 2023
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