PETALING JAYA: Seat negotiations between Pakatan Harapan parties are progressing smoothly and almost complete, said Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi) vice-president Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman (pic).
“The seat distribution is about 90% done. Just a bit more to be thrashed out, particularly a few areas in Selangor,” said Abdul Rashid, who represents Pribumi in the discussions.
In the last general election, the then Pakatan Rakyat won 89 parliamentary seats, comprising 38 from DAP, 30 from PKR and 21 from PAS.
PAS has since pulled out from the Opposition grouping, which reorganised to become Pakatan Harapan with the entry of Pribumi and the PAS splinter Parti Amanah Negara.
Abdul Rashid said other Pakatan figures involved in the discussions include DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke and deputy secretary-general Teresa Kok, Federal Territories Amanah chairman Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli and PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said the distribution of seats in Selangor was a challenge for Pribumi as one of the guidelines states that a party which already holds a seat will get to contest it again in GE14.
“In most places including Selangor, we (Pribumi) are starting at zero as we have no incumbents,” he said.
Pribumi has two elected representatives, namely party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Johor’s Pagoh MP, and deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Kedah’s Ayer Hitam assemblyman.
Another issue still holding up the discussion is the insistence of some leaders that their party is the incumbent in a seat even though their candidates, who contested there, lost. But Abdul Rashid said the discussions were progressing in a constructive manner.
“Those involved are all reasonable people,” he said.
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