PENANG Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) have come to a consensus to avoid contesting against each other in the state elections.

Penang PH chairman Chow Kon Yeow said negotiations between the two coalitions yesterday focused solely on the 15 Malay-majority seats and several agreements were achieved.

“Both parties agreed to avoid any clashing of candidates and all will ensure a huge win in the elections,” he said in George Town today.

He said as the negotiations were only on Malay-majority seats, BN agreed to handle its internal matters, including its component parties.

He also said although both coalitions agreed in principle that incumbents would be given the chance to defend their seats, consideration would be given depending on criteria as necessary.

As it was the first time the coalitions have held negotiations, Chow said there were many other matters to discuss before the elections and that everything agreed upon at the discussion would be taken back to the respective parties for further refinement.

He clarified that the seats that would be contested by PH-BN have yet to be finalised and discussions would be continued.

Yesterday’s discussion was attended by Chow, Deputy Chief Minister I Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman, state PH deputy chairman Roslan Ahmad, state PH secretary Lim Hui Ying, state PH treasurer Goh Choon Aik and state PH communications and information director Zaidi Zakaria while BN was represented by state Umno chairman Musa Sheikh Fadzir, deputy chairman Shaik Hussein Mydin, secretary Shah Headan Ayoob Hussain Shah, treasurer Jeffri Salim, Penang BN secretary Omar Faudzar and national Umno election chairman Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

On the parties’ requests for seats, Chow said it was too early to reveal such information and that negotiations were ongoing.

Penang has 40 state seats, 37 of which are held by PH, including two won by Bersatu candidates when the party was still part of the coalition, while BN holds two seats and PAS, one.

Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Kelantan and Terengganu chose not to dissolve their state assemblies in tandem with the general election last year, and media outlets have reported that all six state leaderships have decided that the best time to dissolve their state assemblies would by the last two weeks of June. – Bernama, May 2, 2023.