The Malaysian Insight

BERUAS PKR in Perak is threatening not to vote for Pakatan Harapan on polling day if the Pengkalan Baharu Perak state seat it is eyeing is given to Bersatu to contest in the 14th general election.

Branch chief Abul Jais Asfaq Ahmed said PKR wanted the seat as it had more influence and machinery in the area. The Pengkalan Baru state seat has over 18,000 voters and falls under the Beruas parliamentary seat.

“The seat belongs to PKR. We have a strong machinery and have gone to the ground for three years already.

“If they (the PH leadership) does not give it to us, we will make sure that Barisan Nasional wins,” he told The Malaysian Insight. 

State-level seat negotiations for the opposition pact in Perak had decided that the Pengkalan Baharu state seat will be contested by PKR, but this changed when discussions were brought to the party’s federal leadership.

“We have worked hard for the past three years. We have organised a lot of programmes.

“The war room for the elections has already been opened. The party machinery and volunteers have already been trained.

“Thousands has been spent here. A lot of state and national leaders have seen the preparations we have done,” Jais said.

He added that there were 5,000 PKR members registered there from 20 divisions.

The Pengkalan Baru incumbent is BN’s Abd Manaf Hashim who defeated PAS’ Khairuddin Abdul Malik with a majority of 2,500 votes in the last election in 2013.

However, Beruas PKR is confident of winning the seat based on the party’s long presence there.

It is understood that the branch is organising a protest this afternoon to express their disappointment.

There are 59 state assembly seats in Perak and Bersatu is responsible for PH’s campaign in the state via its Perak chief Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

Faizai, who is PH chairman in the state, acknowledged the work Beruas PKR had put into Pengkalan Baharu and said he will talk to the division.

“Yes, they’ve worked hard. But in seat negotiations, no party will get every seat they want. Other parties also have to give up seats that they worked for.

“Like Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) said before, no one will be happy,” he said, referring to the PH chairman.

A source told The Malaysian Insight that DAP wants to contest in 18 seats, Bersatu 15 seats, PKR 14 seats and Amanah 12 seats.

DAP currently has 18 assemblymen in Perak, PKR has five, Amanah has four and PAS, which split from the opposition pact, has four. – March 9, 2018.