GE15: DAP eyes Malay heartland seats in Perak

 

DAP plans to venture outside its safe zone in the 15th general election (GE15) and contest in Malay heartland seats in Perak.

Party secretary-general Anthony Loke noted that in 2018, the party had contested and won all seven Parliament seats, and now it wants more.

"We wish to contest in additional seats in Perak at the Parliament level as well as state level.

"Definitely the additional seats will be Malay majority seats," Loke said at a press conference in Perak today.

He added that negotiations in Pakatan Harapan have gone well and that they have been allocated additional seats.

However, he declined to disclose the additional seats.

The seven Perak parliamentary seats DAP contested previously were all either Chinese majority or mixed seats.

Most seats being negotiated for in Harapan are those that were contested by their former partner Bersatu in 2018.

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke

That year, Bersatu contested eight seats namely Gerik, Lenggong, Larut, Bagan Serai, Bukit Gantang, Tambun, Tapah, and Pasir Salak.

Of these eight seats, only Tambun was won by Bersatu.

Prior to 2018, Tambun, Tapah, Bagan Serai, and Pasir Salak were seats which PKR would contest - and it is likely that the party will want to reclaim the right to contest these seats.

The other seats contested by Bersatu in 2018 - Gerik, Lenggong, Larut, and Bukit Gantang - were contested by PAS - making it ripe for candidates to be divided between DAP and Amanah.

DAP had recently set up a branch in Parit - touted to be its biggest Malay branch - but the seat was contested by Amanah in the previous general election, although trade is still possible.

On the subject of Malay branches, Loke said the party will be setting up more such branches wherever they see big potential.

DAP has often been painted by its political rivals as an anti-Malay and anti-Islam party.

However, the party has in recent years strived to field more Malay candidates in elections and put them in leadership positions, in an effort to shake off this stigma. - Mkini