KUALA LUMPUR: Gerakan is confident that the party will be able to win several seats in the Federal Territory and Penang.
Its party president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong said now is the time for party leaders and members to prove themselves in areas such as Batu, Segambut and Kepong.
"We have named three members who have been working as coordinators in these three constituencies and they have been well-received by the constituents.
"In Kepong for instance, Ong Siang Liang has been working very hard and people there are acknowledging his presence.
"Although Barisan Nasional (BN) lost by 40,000 votes there, he told me that he can take over the seat (from the opposition)," said Mah at a press conference after opening the Federal Territory Gerakan Committee Conference 2017.
Meanhile, Mah said the party was planning to field Dr Dominic Lau and Lau Hoi Keong for the other two constituencies.
"However, the confirmation of these candidates for the coming general elections will be subject to the PM's (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak) approval.
"In the meantime, we are looking at maintaining our candidates at 45 previously-fielded seats.
"There will be some seat swapping between the other components parties, but that shouldn't affect anything," he said.
In the 13th general election, Gerakan swapped the Kepong seat with PPP, which fielded its Youth chief A Chandrakumanan but lost to DAP's vice-president Dr Tan Seng Giaw in a three-cornered fight.
Tan retained the seat with a 40,307-vote majority by polling 47,837 votes.
