IT IS important for Pakatan Harapan (PH) and its allies in the unity government in Selangor to win in the state elections as this will ensure the country’s political stability, said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook. 

“In Selangor, our strength is PH. The people of Selangor have given us the mandate and they support the PH government in the state. This is obvious as seen in our victory in the Gombak parliamentary constituency as well as other areas in the general election (GE).

“Our challenge in the second phase after the first 100 days of the unity government is to win and get a convincing mandate from the people, especially in PH-led states,” he said at the opening of Selangor DAP 2023 Annual Convention in Klang today.

Also present were Selangor PH chairman (Menteri Besar) Amirudin Shari and Selangor DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo.

Loke who is also the transport minister, said the target is to defend the 16 state seats held by DAP in Selangor as a key performance indicator (KPI) for the formation of a mature and stable state government.

“In  GE14, we (DAP) won 16 seats even though we lost one elected representative. It’s not because we lost, but due to one of our state assemblymen jumping to another party. We are confident that DAP will win back that seat,” he said.

Loke said Selangor DAP plays an important role in building the party, especially in recruiting and unearthing the talents of young people as its future leadership.

He said this is because Selangor is in a strategic position, close to the federal capital and most of the administrative and economic centres are in the state, thus making it the main focus in the country.

“Many Malaysians from all over the country study, work and live in Selangor though they may not have been born here.

“In Selangor, DAP must play a role as a party that provides opportunities to young people so that talents can be unearthed to keep the party’s leadership and machinery strong because many young leaders in DAP today started out in Selangor,” he said. – Bernama, March 26, 2023.