GEORGE TOWN: Penang Pakatan Harapan will begin seat negotiations among component parties for the 15th General Election (GE15) on Wednesday (Oct 5), says Chow Kon Yeow.
The state Pakatan chairman said the discussion will involve component parties Parti Keadilan Rakyat, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara.
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He said that for now, the seat situation remained the same and was subject to several matters such as discussions among the component parties to determine how many seats each could contest.
"After deciding that, the interview process will follow," he told a press conference at Komtar on Monday (Oct 3).
Chow said the coalition had already started the process of interviewing new candidates to contest in GE15.
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However, he said the interview sessions for incumbents had not started yet.
The Penang Chief Minister said only after the process was complete could the coalition get a clearer picture of which new faces would be chosen to contest in the national polls.
Asked if there were any incumbents who had voiced their intention not to contest in GE15, Chow said there were some but declined to elaborate.
Chow also said the decision to dissolve the state assembly will be subject to the dissolution of Parliament.
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He said if Parliament is dissolved next year, there would not be an issue about the cost of holding a separate state election.
Chow had said earlier that Penang would not hold concurrent state elections due to the incoming monsoon season.
In GE14, Pakatan won 37 out of the 39 state seats contested. DAP fielded candidates in 19 seats, followed by PKR (14), Amanah (three) and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (three).
Two PKR assemblymen have since left the party and joined Bersatu, pledging their support for Perikatan Nasional.
