GE13: Kedah DAP gives PKR ultimatum over additional state constituencies

(The Star) – Kedah DAP has issued an ultimatum to PKR to give the party additional seats in the state in the coming general election or face a three-way fight.

It is asking for two parliamentary and six state constituencies, a far cry from the two state seats it contested in the 2008 general election.

These are the Padang Serai and Alor Setar parliamentary constituencies and the Derga, Kota Darulaman, Bakar Bata, Bakar Arang, Gurun and Lunas state seats.

However, its hope to contest the Alor Setar parliamentary seat was dashed after PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim named a candidate from his party for the constituency on Sunday night.

Kedah DAP chairman Lee Guan Aik was unhappy with the decision because, according to him, PKR did not consult the party.

He claimed that DAP headquarters had agreed to the party contesting in Alor Setar and was surprised by Anwar’s announcement.

“There will be a three-way fight if our demand is not met. However, we will get approval from party headquarters before going ahead with the plan,” he said yesterday.

Anwar announced at a dinner in Kampung Berjaya here that state PKR legal bureau chief Gooi Hsiao Leung would vie for the Alor Setar parliamentary seat.

Lee said the state DAP submitted a report to the party headquarters last month listing Alor Setar as one of the parliamentary seats that it was confident of winning.

Kedah PKR chairman Datuk Wan Salleh Wan Isa, when contacted, said the decision on seat allocation was made by the central committee.

“When Anwar announced the candidate, DAP had been informed about it. So why the surprise?” he added.