Sabah Pakatan says planning for GE15

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Pakatan Harapan has started looking at the seat distribution should the 15th General Election (GE15) be held next year, says Chan Foong Hin.

The Sabah Pakatan treasurer said that it is likely that the state will have its polls concurrently with GE15 if Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolves Parliament in 2023.

“Initially we would just like to focus our negotiations on the 25 parliamentary seats but if GE15 is postponed to next year, then we cannot discount the possibility that state and federal elections will be held concurrently," said Chan.

He told this to reporters after a press conference to announce a forum on illegal immigrants in Sabah this Thursday (July 14).

Sabah Pakatan includes DAP, PKR, Amanah and Upko.

Meanwhile, Sabah Pakatan strategic director Nelson Angang said that the coalition has no issues when it comes to seat allocation and negotiations.

“Whether there will be cooperation with other parties later on, I believe when the time comes, we’ll deal with it then,” he said, adding that Pakatan would continue working as a team for the elections as of now.

Asked if Upko’s coming party polls in October would have any effect on their existing relations with Pakatan Harapan, he said no.

“Upko is mature enough to make sure that the coming party polls will not affect existing relations with Pakatan Harapan,” said Angang.

He said like almost all political parties in the state, Upko was also having just another one of those, which is normal.

“We are mature enough so I don’t see how that will affect our relationship with Pakatan. Our relationship with Pakatan members has always been good since the day we joined the pact,” he said.

Angang said what would affect the elections or any relations was if the proposed anti-hopping Bill is passed in Parliament.