Report: Three-cornered fights likely in 106 Malay-majority seats
(Malaysia Outlook) – The 14th General Election will likely see three-cornered fights in mostly Malay dominated areas comprising 106 parliamentary seats in total.
Umno, Pas and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) are expected to slug it out in 44 parliamentary seats, while 35 other seats will see Umno, Pas and PKR battling it out, with the remaining 27 seats to be contested among Umno, Pas and PAN, according to an NST report which cited a study over this.
It said that Umno is strongly aiming for the 121 seats it contested in the 13th General Election, and should there be any seat exchanges with Barisan Nasional component parties, it will be based on the make-up of the voter majority in the areas.
However, another study has also given assurance that the three-cornered fights expected in more than 100 parliamentary constituencies in the 14th General Election will not affect votes in Malay-majority areas.
Based on the seat distribution announced by the opposition pact last month, although there had been no official announcement on seats it would contest, PPBM would most likely contest seats that are traditionally Umno strongholds, meaning that out of 52 seats allocated to PPBM by the opposition pact, 45 will be in Umno areas.
Only four seats allocated to PPBM are not traditional Umno seats, but they were won by BN component parties in GE13 — Tapah (MIC), Simpang Renggam (Gerakan), Alor Gajah and Tanjung Piai (both MCA).
PPBM will also be placing its bets on Tumpat, which was a Pas seat until the defection of member of parliament Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar to PKR.
All seats that PAN will contest are formerly Pas seats.
PKR also looks set to continue contesting seats it did in GE13, many of which were held by Pas before the formation of the now-defunct Barisan Alternatif and, later, Pakatan Rakyat.
PAN is eyeing the Ayer Hitam seat, which the opposition pact had decided would be DAP’s, as well as two other seats.
An NST report has predicted that the three-cornered fights involving Umno, Pas and Parti Amanah Negara are expected to favour Umno.
