MENTERI Besar Azmin Ali has shot down claims a special committee was set up to discuss Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) state seats.

The PH election director said only the committee name’s changed and discussions are still ongoing on the distribution of state seats.

“There is no such thing as a special committee. What Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) said was we have a committee which was set up like any other states and we have met four times.

“The committee was previously ‘Jawatankuasa Pilihan Raya Negeri Selangor’ now they want to change to ‘Jawatankuasa Pengagihan Kerusi’.

“The committee members are the same,” he said after the handing over of the Taman Tun Teja Mosque in Rawang.

PH chairman Dr Mahathir had previously said a special committee had been formed to look into the distribution of seats between its parties in Selangor.

Azmin also slammed Amanah for confusing the Selangor PH state seat negotiations by implying that PKR is the only component party that has started formal negotiations.

“There is no new committee, there is a new name… what is important is the substance not the name, but at least can Amanah tell the public the truth?

“That is why Amanah is not telling the truth, they are not ‘amanah’, we have met four times,” Azmin said sarcastically.

“We have met four times to discuss not only on seat allocations, but also all other issues related to the preparations for GE14.

“Certainly seat negotiations is one of the key issues being discussed in the committee, but unfortunately we have not reached a consensus among the four parties, and I think that the process must continue (till we reach as consensus),” Azmin said.

Azmin also said no PH state seats have been finalised yet and he stressed that PH will allocate seats based on the “winability” of the party components.

“I am sure if we have the consensus, we should be able to pull through, because I feel that in Selangor, more than 80% already have a consensus.

“Be fair on Selangor, you want to impose on the deadline or you want the process to continue until we reach a consensus? I thought both are important?” he said.

Commenting on former Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, Azmin said that Khalid must have his principles and stick to it.

“Khalid has to decide, in politics we have our principles, we have to hold to the idealism.

“This he is a bit Umno, PAS then Bebas, I mean he has to decide, if he wants to play a role in PAS, join PAS, it is a democratic country.

“What is important is that Selangorians will decide, what is important is that we are here today to deliver back to Malaysians,” he said.

Khalid was sacked from PKR n 2014 has offered his services to PAS to capture Selangor in the GE14.

In the 56-seat Selangor assembly, DAP currently holds 14 seats, PAS (13), PKR (13), Amanah (2), while Khalid and another are independents. Barisan Nasional has 12 seats. – February 2, 2018.