IN a strategic move to capture the Ayer Hitam parliamentary seat from Barisan Nasional, DAP will make way for an Amanah candidate to contest the seat.

Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong said the decision to field the Amanah candidate had been explained to DAP members.

“The Ayer Hitam seat has been allocated to us but we will field a candidate from Amanah. This is a tactical decision and we believe it will strengthen our challenge for the seat,” Liew said, confirming talk the seat was going to Amanah.

DAP was reported to have given up the Tanjung Piai parliamentary seat in Johor and the Alor Gajah parliamentary seat in Malacca to contest Ayer Hitam.

Liew said Pakatan Harapan’s success in reaching a consensus on the division of seats in Peninsular Malaysia last week bode well for the coalition’s chances in Ayer Hitam and Tanjung Piai.

He said Tanjung Piai, Ayer Hitam and Titiwangsa were the last parliamentary seats to be allocated in the seat negotiations.
 
“Last week’s decision is important for Johor PH. Today (PH chairman and prime ministerial candidate) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) will visit Tanjung Piai.

“Before this, these two areas (Tanjung Piai andd Ayer Hitam) were considered BN’s white areas/safe seats. But after the PH convention last week, BN can lose in these two areas.

Chin Tong said while it was not easy for PH to win the two seats, the unity among PH component parties’ was a big help.

“In Ayer Hitam for instance, we will be up against MCA number  (Wee Ka Siong), who is Johor MCA number one.

In the last general election, Wee succesfully defended the Ayer Hitam seat with a winning majority of 7,310 votes, and  another MCA leader, Wee Jack Seng also held on to Tanjung Piai with a 5,457-majority vote. – January 12, 2018.