GEORGE TOWN, July 22 — Pakatan Harapan respects the choice of candidates to be fielded by Barisan Nasional (BN) in the state elections next month, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said.

Rafizi, who is also Economy Minister, said all of them had been shortlisted after a negotiation process between PH and BN on seat allocations, adding that the candidates chosen were those who had the higher chances of winning the seat.

"In our talks with component parties, the tradition is for everyone to respect the choice of candidate, this has always been PH’s strength, and now this has been extended to BN also,” he told reporters after attending the mid-term review engagement session of the 12th Malaysia Plan here today.

He was responding to the line-up of BN candidates announced by its chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday.

BN will be fielding 31 candidates in Kelantan, 27 in Terengganu, 17 in Negeri Sembilan, 15 in Kedah, 12 in Selangor and six in Penang.

Separately, on former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad being on stage at a Perikatan Nasional (PN) event in Kelantan yesterday, Rafizi it was everyone’s right to cooperate with anyone they want to.

He said the state elections will be the best platform to compare policies and programmes to resolve issues faced by the nation and the people.

"The state elections cannot and must not be made a platform to play with emotions. I am confident the people can judge.

"When Tun stands on the PN, PAS or Bersatu stage, it is more of a meeting of an ‘emotional gang’ who do not talk about national debt or the country’s affairs,” he said.

The Election Commission has fixed polling for the state elections in Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan on August 12, nomination on July 29, while early voting is on August 8. — Bernama