NOT EASY FOR MAHATHIR & CO TO WIN PERAK: OTHER THAN DAP, PKR WEAK, AMANAH & BERSATU UNTESTED

IPOH — Despite Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (PPBM) optimism of winning Perak in the general election, allies in the state Pakatan Harapan (PH) do not feel the same way.

A DAP source said while the party was confident of delivering all the seats they will contest in Perak, the same is not expected of other PH members PKR, Amanah and PPBM.

“I would say our chances are 50-50. It is even lower than 2013 when the Opposition front was at its peak,” the national leader told Malay Mail when contacted.

“Unless there is a Malay tsunami, I do not see how we are able to get Perak from Barisan Nasional,” he added.

He said with PAS out of the larger Opposition front, it would be even more difficult for PH to win in the 14th general election.

PAS has threatened to contest all its traditional seats as well as those claimed by its former allies, which is set to trigger bruising multi-cornered fights for the Opposition.

“In fact, there may be danger of us losing some seats to Barisan,” he added, referring to the ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN).

Malay Mail previously reported PPBM supreme council member Datuk Rais Hussin as saying his party has earmarked states where it expects to take a leadership position: Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Johor.

The federal seats PPBM is expected to contest in Perak are Larut, Lenggong, Bagan Serai, Tambun, Gerik, Tapah, Kuala Kangsar and Pasir Salak.

Concurring with his counterpart, a national PKR leader said that BN stood a good chance of retaining the state should PAS decide to contest the same seats being contested by PH.

To neutralise PAS, the PKR source said the Opposition pact must convince voters not to see the Islamist party as a serious contender.

“When they were with us, PAS was seen as an alternative to Umno. Now with them outside of PH, all the four parties must fill in the void,” he added.

However, he remained optimistic a swing of 10 per cent Malay votes towards PH would be enough to tip results in the pact’s favour.

During the 2013 general election, the defunct Pakatan Rakyat took 64 per cent of the Malay votes, 80 per cent Chinese votes and between 50 and 60 per cent of Indian votes.

In the 14th general election, DAP is expected to maintain its lion share of the 59 state seats where it would contest in 18 seats, PKR 16, PPBM, 13 and Amanah 12.

MKINI