Umno-MIC seat swapping under INITIAL negotiation - Zambry

IPOH -- Umno and MIC have agreed in principle on the exchange of state seats in Perak for the next general election and are thinking of the seats to be exchanged, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

Zambry, who is also the state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, said the swapping of seats was among the issues discussed together with the BN component parties and until the matter had been mutually agreed upon, the BN component parties would not make any decision.

"In fact, the quota introduced should also be respected by all of us (BN component parties). It's not only that (Behrang and Pasir Panjang state seats), maybe there are other seats too, but basically they must be mutually agreed upon," he told reporters after attending the state government's Meet The Clients Day, here today.

He was commenting on the statement by MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel that the party was keen to swap state seats in Perak with other BN component parties in the next general election.

Palanivel had said that the MIC was prepared to give up the Behrang and Pasir Panjang state seats in exchange for Buntong, which has 48 per cent Indian population, while the other seat was still at the negotiation stage and if the MIC did not get the seat sought for in Perak, the party would opt for Dengkil in Selangor as second choice.

-- BERNAMA