MELAKA – The distribution of seats involving PAS for the Melaka election is expected to be known in a week’s time at the latest, after discussions are held between PAS, Umno and Bersatu.
Melaka PAS commissioner Datuk Kamarudin Sidek said the discussions, to be managed by the PAS central technical committee, are aimed at preventing more than two-cornered fights, thus harming the chances of all component parties under Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Muafakat Nasional (MN).
“PAS is in MN and PN, which also include Umno and Bersatu… the collaborative relationship among all component parties is still intact. So, the issue of seat distribution for the Melaka election should involve all parties concerned.
“We admit there are difficult and easy routes in every State Legislative Assembly seat, but our main mission is to have two-cornered fights for every seat so as to facilitate our path to face Pakatan Harapan (PH),” he said today.
Kamarudin said that through the discussions, each party is expected to present their respective candidates and a decision will be jointly made to ensure the best person contests each seat.
He said that if the discussions reach an impasse, PAS will not hesitate to go its own way and field its candidates for seats contested by Umno and Bersatu, even if it means having to face three-cornered fights.
Kamarudin, who was the PAS candidate for the Duyong seat in the 14th general election but lost to Damian Baba Yoe of DAP, said he is ready to contest the same seat in the state election, provided it is agreed to by Umno and Bersatu.
Melaka PAS contested 24 out of 28 seats in the Melaka assembly in GE14.
On preparations for the election, he said the party machinery is ready in all aspects and all its operations rooms have been opened.
Election Commission (EC) chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh today announced that November 20 has been set as polling day while nomination day is on November 8 and early polling is on November 16.
The Melaka assembly was dissolved on October 4 after four representatives withdrew their support for the leadership of Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali as chief minister. – Bernama, October 18, 2021
