‘I can safely say 17 seats’ — Anthony Loke confirms DAP’s Johor allocation

‘I can safely say 17 seats’ — Anthony Loke confirms DAP’s Johor allocation



DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke speaks during the launch of the Johor Pakatan Harapan election machinery for the 16th Johor State Election at Kim’s Park Business Centre in Batu Pahat on June 6, 2026. — Bernama pic

Sunday, 07 Jun 2026 2:17 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, June 7 — DAP is set to expand its footprint in the upcoming Johor state election, fielding candidates in 17 seats, an increase from the 14 it contested in the 2022 polls.

Party secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook confirmed the figure today, noting that the party’s strategy involves a three-pronged approach: defending its 10 incumbent seats, reclaiming the four it lost in the previous cycle, and venturing into three additional constituencies.

“I can safely say that DAP will be contesting 17 seats in the coming state election in Johor,” Loke was quoted as saying in a Free Malaysia Today report.

The expansion comes as the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition successfully concluded its seat-sharing negotiations, shifting its focus toward election machinery and ground preparations.


While Loke noted that one final seat was subject to minor adjustments between PKR and Amanah, he expressed confidence that the arrangement would be fully settled within 48 hours.

In the 2022 state election, DAP emerged as the coalition’s strongest performer in Johor, successfully defending 10 seats.

However, it suffered narrow defeats in four traditional strongholds of Bekok, Yong Peng, Paloh, and Pekan Nanas, which were captured by MCA.


Currently, DAP holds the lion’s share of the opposition’s presence in the Johor state assembly, with coalition partners PKR and Amanah holding only one seat each.

The move to contest three new seats suggests a strategic attempt by PH to make inroads into areas previously considered Barisan Nasional (BN) or Perikatan Nasional (PN) territory.