ASSEMBLYMEN and their parties should be allowed to defend their seats in the state elections,  DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said.

He said this should serve as the main guideline for all parties in the seat negotiation process.

“For the first time in history, DAP went to Umno headquarters for a meeting with the unity government secretariat. All the parties have agreed to cooperate in the elections in six states.

“We are in the midst of negotiating (for seats) but negotiations must be based on one main principle, which is that the incumbents must be allowed to defend their seats,” said the Seremban MP at the opening the Negri Sembilan convention today, which was livestreamed on Facebook.
 
Negri Sembilan is among the six states holding elections this year. The other five are Selangor, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.

Loke told delegates not to underestimate Perikatan Nasional even though the coalition is not represented in the Negri Sembilan assembly.

He said people had not expected Pakatan Rakyat to win two states in 2008.

“Who could have imagined that we would won Selangor and Penang? Anything is possible so we need to work hard though we (feel assured of a comfortable win). We must not take this task lightly or we will taste defeat,” he said.

On Friday, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the six states are considering holding elections at the same time and will meet next week to discuss a suitable date to dissolve the state assemblies.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amiruddin Shari is organising the meeting.

Penang Pakatan Harapan has previously proposed to hold elections in June. – February 19, 2023.