Amanah sec-gen seeks to ease seat tensions with Umno

For Amanah, the issue of seat allocation will be decided by the national leadership, says Faiz Fadzil.

Amanah secretary-general Faiz Fadzil said there is ‘no need to worry’ over the issue of seat allocations for the Melaka and Johor polls. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Amanah secretary-general Faiz Fadzil has sought to assuage tensions with Umno over the matter of seat allocations for the Melaka and Johor state elections, with the former expected to be held this year.

Faiz said statements issued by state Amanah leaders were made in their capacity as state chapter leaders, and that the final decision on seat allocations rested with the party’s national leadership.

“The question of seat allocations would be discussed at certain levels but the decision will be made at the highest level. So there’s no need to worry.

“The issue at hand is the Malay-majority seats that are being targeted by Malay parties,” he said, according to Utusan Malaysia.

Faiz, who is also the Penang Amanah chief, said he would prioritise maintaining unity among government partners to ensure the current administration gets a second term in power at the next general election.

This comes after Umno and Amanah leaders traded barbs over the issue of seats in the Melaka and Johor state elections.

Johor Pakatan Harapan chairman Aminolhuda Hassan had suggested a “free-for-all” contest to resolve the electoral cooperation deadlock with Barisan Nasional in the state.

Johor Umno Youth then challenged PH to name its menteri besar candidate for the Johor polls since it was so keen on contesting against BN.

Amanah communications director Khalid Samad had also urged BN and Umno to hand several seats they currently held to other parties in the unity government for the Melaka and Johor polls.

Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal said, however, that PH should just contest against BN in both state elections.

The BN-led Melaka government includes PH, which has a representative in the state executive council.

In Johor, the state government is purely composed of BN assemblymen, with PH representatives serving as backbenchers in the state assembly. - FMT