PAKATAN Harapan has 66 federal seats in the peninsula, most of them Malay-majority constituencies, left for the pact to divide among its component parties ahead of the next general election, which must be held before August 2018.

This represents 40% of the 166 parliamentary seats in the peninsula that PH is targeting and negotiations among the parties are said to have been delayed by the inclusion of Bersatu in the pact, a source privy to the talks said.

“Currently, PKR has been handed the most number of seats, followed by DAP, Bersatu and Amanah.

“(Which party gets the most seats) will change again once the remaining 40% of the mostly Malay-majority seats are distributed,” the source added.

In the Federal Territory and Selangor, seats, such as Lembah Pantai, Wangsa Maju and Kelana Jaya, will remain with PKR, while DAP will keep Petaling Jaya Utara and Seputeh. Two former PAS seats – Sepang and Shah Alam – will go to Amanah.

Prior to this, PH allocated four states – Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Pahang and Sabah – to PKR.

Bersatu was given Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Johor while DAP was tasked with Penang, Federal Territory and Sarawak. Amanah will lead the PH charge in Malacca, Terengganu and Kelantan. 

There are 222 seats in Parliament. 

In the peninsula, PKR won 28 federal seats at the 13th general election while DAP captured 31. PAS, which has since quit Pakatan Rakyat, won 21 federal seats.

Amanah, a PAS splinter party formed in 2015, has six of the seats PAS won, while Bersatu, which was formed a year ago, has one parliamentary seat in Pagoh.

PH decided a month ago on seats for 100 federal constituencies in the peninsula. They were divided among the four component members, most of them being the parties’ existing seats. 

Negotiations for seats Sabah and Sarawak are being treated separately and a PH insider told The Malaysian Insight that talks were still ongoing for the 56 federal seats there.

“Sabah is still unresolved as it involves state seats, too, while it’s easier in Sarawak as it only affects the parliament seats.

“But we will be ready even if elections are called at year-end,” he said.

Parties may still swap seats with one another, depending on how winnable a candidate is, he added.

PH elections director Mohamed Azmin Ali told reporters last month that his elections committee was open to suggestions and changes depending on the strength of candidates and party election machinery.

“We want to win as PH and not as individual parties,” said Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president and Selangor menteri besar. – October 7, 2017.