GEORGE TOWN, June 16 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) is expected to announce its seat distribution for the upcoming state elections among its component parties next week, said Gerakan president Datuk Dominic Lau Hoe Chai.
The Penang PN chief said the PN leadership is expected to make an official announcement on June 22.
“We are now in the final stages of negotiations and as per the general rule, the Malay-majority seats will be distributed among Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and PAS while the non-Malay majority seats will be distributed among Gerakan, Bersatu Bersekutu wing and Dewan Himpunan Pendukung PAS (DHPP),” he told Malay Mail.
The last two referred to the non-Bumiputera and non-Muslim affiliate wings of Bersatu and PAS. Both parties are exclusively for Bumiputera and Muslims, respectively.
He said just like during the 15th general elections, some of the non-Malay majority seats will also be given to candidates from the Bersatu Bersekutu wing and DHPP.
He said it was not important which party the candidates are from as it is more important to field winnable candidates.
“It is more important to field candidates that appeal to the voters and can win their support,” he said.
Meanwhile, when asked about how many seats Gerakan will be contesting in Penang's state elections, he said it will be more than the 14th general election.
In the 14th general election, Gerakan was still under Barisan Nasional and the non-Malay majority seats were distributed between MCA, MIC and Gerakan.
Gerakan had contested in 13 state seats in Penang back in 2018.
The state elections for Kedah, Penang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor are expected to be held concurrently in August after the state legislative assemblies are dissolved in late June.
Penang already announced that its state assembly would dissolve on June 28 and Kelantan on June 22, with Negeri Sembilan expected to do so on June 30.
