Selangor polls: Harapan offers 10 seats, BN wants 17 - sources

Selangor polls: Harapan offers 10 seats, BN wants 17 - sources


Selangor Pakatan Harapan is still negotiating with its allies from BN following the latter’s request for additional seats in the upcoming state election.

Sources from both coalitions told Malaysiakini separately that Harapan initially offered BN to contest 10 seats, but the latter responded with a request for seven more seats.

“After several rounds of negotiations, Harapan offered 10 seats, including four won by Umno in the 14th general election,” said a Harapan source.

Aside from the four Umno-held seats, Malaysiakini understands Harapan has offered BN six more seats won by Perikatan Nasional (PN) through Bersatu and PAS.

The offer, however, raised dissatisfaction in BN, according to sources from the coalition.

“We see the 10 seats as a very small number. If possible, we have targeted 17 seats, including for MCA and MIC.

“The additional requests for seven seats include Sungai Kandis, Kuala Kubu Bharu, Dengkil, and Sentosa.

“MCA is targeting Kuala Kubu Bharu, now held by the DAP. Meanwhile, MIC is eyeing either Sentosa or Dengkil,” said an Umno source.

Previously, it was speculated that Investments, Trade, and Industries Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz will be fielded in Sungai Kandis, now held by PKR’s Mohd Zawawi Ahmad Mughni who defeated an Umno candidate during a by-election held shortly after GE14.

Malaysiakini has contacted Selangor BN chief Megat Zulkarnain Omardin and the Selangor menteri besar’s office for comments.

In GE14, Pakatan Harapan - then comprising PKR, DAP, Amanah, and Bersatu - won 52 out of 56 Selangor state seats and retained the state government.

Umno led the state opposition at the time with three seats, with PAS’ sole representative from Sijangkang.

Then, the 2020 Sheraton Move saw Bersatu’s departure from Harapan as the party took over Putrajaya.

However, Bersatu then lost three of its six Selangor assemblypersons who left the party to join Pejuang.

It also gained two assemblypersons who were from PKR - Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyperson Mohamed Azmin Ali and Gombak Setia assemblyperson Muhammad Hilman Idham.

PKR also lost two state representatives - Sementa assemblyperson Daroyah Alwi and Lembah Jaya assemblyperson Haniza Mohamed Talha - who joined Parti Bangsa Malaysia.


‘Changes to status quo’

Meanwhile, a high-ranking Umno source hinted at possible changes to the “status quo” where all parties will stand in seats they had won.

“I believe Harapan cannot be too stringent with the policy that the party that won the state seat in GE14 will be defending the seat at the polls.

“This may cause difficulties for the coalition, particularly for PKR and Amanah if the Malacca and Johor state elections are called before GE16,” said the source.

“This is because PKR failed to win any seats in the Malacca polls and only one seat in Johor. So the policy that the ‘winner keeps the seat’ can’t be used in the two states.

“Maybe there are different negotiations at the state level. But decisions by the top leaders of Harapan and BN are final.

“We hope there will be seats won by Harapan that will be allocated for BN in the Selangor polls,” said the source.