PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional will avoid contesting against one another in the upcoming six state elections, with seat talks slated to be held on Sunday.
However, the two members of the unity government will not contest as a coalition, said Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The PKR secretary-general said they were now in discussions with Umno and Barisan Nasional before the talks on seat allocations.
The unity government secretariat meeting at WTC Kuala Lumpur will be chaired by Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“When they are contesting, we will not contest (for the same seat). When we contest, they will not. That is the minimum understanding,” Saifuddin told a press conference at the PKR headquarters here yesterday.
“The secretariat’s chief (Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki) will table a report at the meeting,” he said.
Noting that the preparations for state elections are progressing well, Saifuddin said that analysis on data of Pakatan’s past performances have been conducted and handed to the coalition’s leadership.
“This will be the basis for seat negotiations and building strategy,” said the Home Minister, who is also Pakatan secretary-general.
Within the coalition, the parties will stick to their norm, whereby seats will remain with the incumbent winners.
Another component which will be used to determine seat allocations is the “winnability” aspect based on past performance.
“The pattern is clear. It is not difficult to negotiate with (Barisan) because we know our respective strengths,” he said.
Factors such as geography and local industries in the area will be taken into account in the allocation process.
He said PKR’s partners in Pakatan Harapan – Amanah, DAP and Upko – have confirmed their attendance for the party’s special congress tomorrow.
On whether Umno leaders would attend the congress, Saifuddin said the party was having its elections on the same day.
This will also be the first party congress after Anwar’s appointment as Prime Minister.
Saifuddin, when asked to comment on the authenticity of a viral letter purportedly from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on Umno’s no-contest motion which has gone viral, skirted the issue.
“I have moved on from that and they are going to vote (in the Umno elections) on Saturday,” he said.
The unconfirmed letter, which was circulated on social media earlier this month, alleged that the no-contest resolution for the top two positions in Umno was invalid.
On March 7, Saifuddin confirmed that Umno was given an exemption under the Societies Act 1966 (Act 832) regarding the resolution.
He said the exemption was made based on Section 70 of the Act, which says that the minister may, at his discretion, exempt any society registered under the Act from all or any of the provisions of the Act.
On March 4, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the party had received a letter from the Home Ministry confirming that the ROS had accepted the party’s no-contest resolution.
