Squabble over seats derailed election plans

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GEORGE TOWN: A dispute between DAP and Pakatan Harapan partner PKR over seats to be contested was the reason for DAP to call off plans to seek fresh elections to the state assembly, it was revealed today.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, who announced the decision earlier today, had said it was because PKR had disagreed with the plans and in view of his party’s undertaking not to pursue the matter unilaterally.

Lim also said that the dispute over seats had arised at a meeting last week between DAP and PKR leaders, attended by Lim and Penang DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali, vice- president Nurul Izzah Anwar and PKR elections director Saifudin Nasution.

A proposal was made for DAP to give to PKR one or two of its existing seats in Penang so that the election proposal would be more acceptable to the PKR leadership.

“However, we stated that this was not feasible,” Lim said.

Asked if PKR’s request for additional seats was put forward as a condition to the party agreeing to DAP’s proposal, Lim said: “Just say it was not feasible and it was not pursued.”

Chow, who was present at today’s press conference, said he had stopped Azmin from pursuing the matter at the July 20 meeting.

He had said that matters regarding seat arrangements should be made after a decision on whether or not to have elections or not. “That’s why the matter was not pursued further,” he said.

DAP holds 19 seats in the 40-member state assembly. PKR won 10 out of 16 seats contested in 2013, PAS one seat of five contested. Barisan Nasional holds 10 seats, all won by Umno candidates.

Lim said DAP’s central executive committee and the party’s state leadership had been consulted before today’s decision not to proceed with fresh elections.

He said: “The PKR leadership said they are willing to discuss (seat allocations) further. But we felt it was no point discussing further.” He said many in the DAP leadership “felt that it was no point dragging on”.

However, Lim said PKR had raised “justifiable concern” about the elections as PKR risked losing more seats than DAP. “Of course these concerns have basis and we understand them,” he said.

He urged Pakatan Harapan parties to place greater efforts at publicising and making known “the good policies” of the Penang state government so that the coalition would win “not by default from the failures, abuse of power and corruption of BN” but by the strength of Pakatan’s hard work in Penang.

No snap Penang elections, says Guan Eng