DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has credited BN’s election machinery for its strong showing in Johor, even as he outlined plans to personally lead Pakatan Harapan's "campaign of hope" in the upcoming Negeri Sembilan polls.
Loke said BN's campaign in Johor was "very organised", with "very coherent messaging" centred on Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, whose image was prominently featured across the state.
He also said Harapan would adopt a positive campaign in Negeri Sembilan under caretaker menteri besar Aminuddin Harun, focusing on their achievements in government and what it intends to deliver for the people.
"I will personally oversee the campaign and narrative. I want to run... a campaign of hope that things will be better," he said in an interview with CNA.
Loke said he was aware that opponents might seek to put Harapan on the defensive by portraying DAP as a threat to Malay-Muslim interests and the position of the Malay rulers, but maintained that such attacks would not dent the party's support in the constituencies it is contesting.
However, he acknowledged that such attacks could affect Harapan's component parties contesting in Malay-majority seats.
"We are the punching bag and the bogeyman.
"This strategy and these tricks, to be honest, will not hurt the DAP in our constituencies. It will hurt our component parties (contesting in Malay-majority seats) … We contest mainly in non-Malay-majority seats," he said.
On July 15, Harapan chairperson Anwar Ibrahim unveiled 36 candidates from the coalition for the upcoming Negeri Sembilan state election, scheduled for Aug 1.
Loke will defend his Chennah state seat, while Aminuddin, whom Harapan election director Amirudin Shari dubbed as "poster boy" of the state polls, will move from Sikamat to contest the Linggi constituency.
Loke has held Chennah since 2013, when PAS and DAP were still allies, and first won the seat with 56 percent of the votes.
Impact on BN-Harapan pact
Whether facing off against BN in Johor and Negeri Sembilan would affect both coalitions’ federal ties, Loke said: "It's a lie to say that there's no impact at all, but we have to keep it professional."
"We still attend meetings just as usual. I just came up from a meeting (where) I was seated in the middle between the president and the deputy president of Umno.
"So we try to keep it as professional as possible to keep the government intact," he said.
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is also a deputy prime minister, while party deputy president Mohamad Hasan serves as foreign minister.
Loke noted that Zahid has also pledged support for the coalition government until the end of its term, regardless of the results of the state elections.
"Whether or not we'll go into the next election as a unity bloc or as a separate coalition, of course, that is something to be decided by the respective coalitions when Parliament is dissolved," the transport minister stated.
On the contest for the Chennah seat, Loke said he expects "very stiff competition" from BN, particularly MCA.
"Mine is a very mixed seat, so I need to garner the support from both the Chinese… as well as our Muslim voters," he said.
Loke acknowledged DAP’s showing in Johor has raised concerns, but maintained this was part of the ups and downs of politics and that it does not translate to a "total rejection" by voters.
"If you look at our vote share, it increased compared to the last election. While not at the same percentage as BN, it is still an increase," he added.
In Negeri Sembilan, Loke stressed that the DAP does not want to involve or drag the royal institution into politics.
"The royal crisis in Negeri Sembilan must be resolved within the royal institution based on the customs and the laws of the institution," he said. - Mkini
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