Pakatan allies DAP and Amanah on collision course in Perak over Changkat Jong state seat

IPOH, October 28 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties DAP and Amanah both announced that they will be contesting the Changkat Jong state seat in Perak for the 15th general election (GE15).

Perak Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) chairman Datuk Asmuni Awi announced Muhaimin Sulam as the party’s candidate for the seat this morning, while DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke announced Badrul Hisham Badarudin as its candidate for the same seat in the evening.

Loke stressed that the state seat “belonged” to DAP as decided and agreed by the PH leadership council.

“It was decided that DAP will contest in Changkat Jong during the meeting by the top three PH leaders on Thursday in the presence of PH president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

“The announcement today was made at the state level for Amanah’s candidate, and I am sure that there is some misunderstanding that can be resolved,” he told a press conference after announcing Perak DAP’s GE15 candidacy list at the Kinta Riverfront Hotel here.

Loke also said that there will not be any clashes between PH component parties and that there will be only one party contesting the seat.

When asked if DAP will be meeting Amanah to resolve the seat issue, Loke said that Amanah would have to settle matters within the state chapter.

However, Amanah Teluk Intan chief Ahmad Munzirie Ahmad Kabir in a statement urged DAP to respect the spirit of friendship that exists among PH component parties.

Ahmad Munzirie said the party’s Teluk Intan division did not receive any changes involving the Changkat Jong seat from the Amanah state committee or the leadership at the national level.

“We would like to clarify that the seats contested by Amanah under PH are as announced by the state chairman this morning.

“The last meeting on the matter also decided that the seat was given to Amanah and the candidate agreed was Muhaimin Sulam,” he said.

He also said it was only right that the Changkat Jong seat be given to Amanah as the Teluk Intan parliamentary seat and the Pasir Bedamar state seat, which are all under the same constituency, were taken by DAP.

“The machinery preparation at the Changkat Jong constituency has also been at the best level and the preliminary work for the campaigning period has already begun.

“Therefore, any dispute or disagreement on the Changkat Jong seat should not arise and should be respected by all PH party members,” he said.