SIX state seats are at the centre of intense negotiations among Selangor Pakatan Harapan component parties.

A source told The Malaysian Insight the seats are Sri Serdang, Lembah Jaya, Sungai Panjang, Sungai Burong, Kota Damansara and Bukit Melawati. 

“There is an overlap and we are at a dead end. 

“Next Tuesday, Selangor PH component party chairman will negotiate for a last time before it is brought to the federal level,” he said. 

Another source told The Malaysian Insight all four parties in PH are demanding for the Seri Serdang and Lembah Jaya state seats as they were won with huge majorities in the last general elections. 

“They are ‘Grade A’ seats. The dateline is Tuesday. If it is not completed by then, the federal level PH will take over,” he said on condition of anonymity.  

In the 13th General Election, the Sri Serdang state seat was won by PAS’ Noor Hanim Ismail with a majority of 16,251 votes. 

The Lembah Jaya seat was won by Khasim Abdul Aziz from PAS with a majority of 8,713 votes.

Umno’s Budiman Mohd Zohdi won the Sungai Panjang state seat with a majority of 2,193 votes and Samsudin Lias of Umno won Sungai Burong by 3,013 votes. 

In Kota Damansara, Umno’s Halimaton Saadiah Bohan won by 1,527 votes after PKR and Pas cancelled each other out. 

Bukit Melawati was won by Umno’s Jakiran Jacomah by a mere 806 majority. 

In the last general elections, PKR won 14 of 21 contested seats, PAS 15 out of 20 and DAP won all 15 seats it contested. 

Barisan Nasional (BN) only won 12 of the 56 state seats it contested. 

PKR and DAP have both lost a seat each after the sacking of Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (PKR) and Loc Chee Heng (DAP), who are now independent. 

PAS was only left with 13 seats after two of their assemblyman defected to Amanah. 

Pakatan Rakyat disbanded in 2015 due to a split between PAS and DAP over the hudud issue. 

PKR, DAP and PAS’ splinter party, Amanah went on to form Pakatan Harapan. 

Bersatu which is led by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad joined the coalition in 2016. 

Dr Mahathir was named PH’s choice of prime minister last January with PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail slated to be his deputy. 

PAS despite having rumours of being closely linked with Umno, has not formalised any kind of pact with the lynchpin BN party.

The Islamist party instead formed Gagasan Sejahtera, which counts several small parties and little know non-government organisations as its partners. – March 8, 2018.