BUTTERWORTH: Penang Pakatan Harapan (PH) has yet to initiate negotiations with Barisan Nasional (BN) on seat distribution for the state election, which is slated to take place within the next two to three months.
State PH chairman Chow Kon Yeow said PH is currently finalising the coalition's position before opening any talks with BN.
He said such decisions are usually made in the final stages when the state legislative assembly is dissolved, or before the nomination of candidates.
"We have been given a month (to discuss seat negotiations with BN) and this is now the second week.
"There have been (unofficial) discussions before this but our intent now is to finalise our positions before opening any talks with BN.
"But usually in elections, such decisions can only be made in the last stages once the assembly is dissolved or just before the candidates are announced," he told reporters after officiating a blood donation campaign in Taman Chai Leng here today.
Chow, who is Penang Chief Minister, was asked to comment on the progress of talks on seat negotiations with BN for the upcoming state election.
He said a meeting on the PH - BN cooperation was supposed to have taken place last week but was postponed due to other pressing matters.
As such, a new date would be set for the meeting.
'We have received the outcome of a study to assess voter sentiment on PH and the state government. As such, we need to solidify our stand first before calling for negotiations," he said.
Asked on PH secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's statement that seats captured in the 14th General Election (GE14) would stay with the respective parties, Chow said that was the general principle before negotiations began.
"This formula already exists in PH, namely the seat remains with the incumbent unless someone wants a change. That would depend on the parties involved.
"This principle still holds true. As such, as we enter into talks with BN, who are our partners in the unity government, this also includes BN.
In GE14, PH won 33 state seats in Penang while BN only captured two, namely the Sungai Dua and Permatang Berangan seats.
