Pakatan Johor seat squabble continue

Now, the focus is on Johor Jaya as the state seat becomes the subject of tussle between the two parties.

Earlier today (Tuesday), DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang wrote in his blog that DAP would be contesting seven parliamentary seats and 15 state seats in Johor, including Johor Jaya.

His statement was despite the fact that Johor PKR deputy chairman Dr Ahmad Faidhi Saidi had earlier claimed that Johor Jaya belonged to PKR.

Yesterday, PKR de facto leader Datuk Anwar Ibrahim had announced that Johor PKR chairman Datuk Chua Jui Meng would contest the Segamat seat. (Segamat is now being held by MIC's human resources minister Datuk Dr S Subramaniam)

Chua had previously had to ‘give up’ the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat to Kit Siang, who has decided to contest there to “kick off a political tsunami” akin to the one in 2008.

However, Kit Siang in his blog stressed that the Gelang Patah decision was not a seat swap as DAP and was a “stand-alone decision”. He said that Segamat was a seat to be contested by DAP at that point in time.

His statement is taken to mean that the Segamat seat will only be given to Chua after all seats disputes with Johor DAP is settled.

While today Kit Siang named DAPSY assistant secretary for publicity, Liow Cai Tung, 27, as its candidate for Johor Jaya.

Johor PKR executive secretary R. Yunesvawaran was adamant that Johor Jaya belonged to PKR.

"What is stated in blogs is not official. We will have to wait for Chua (Jui Meng) to make an official announcement," he said when contacted by Bernama.

Dr Ahmad Faidhi had previously said PKR's legal bureau head Jimmy Puah would be contesting Johor Jaya.

The fight over seats has caused the three-man DAP committee in Johor, comprising state chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau, his deputy Norman Fernandez and Tan Chen Choon to resign.

Chua had previously engaged in a public spat with Dr Boo Cheng Hau over the Gelang Patah seat in the state, but it ended as Anwar announced Lim as the person to lead the “Pakatan assault” down south in the BN stronghold state.

Their resignation came immediately after it was clear some of their proposed candidates were not in the final list, with speculations that they were unhappy with DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng’s interference.

Recently, a study by Universiti Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections(Umcedel) noted that main issue plaguing Pakatan is the internal squabbling between coalition partners.

The survey, which took in input from 1,409 respondents between Dec 26 and Jan 11, concluded that BN would retain Putrajaya, but is not expected to regain two-thirds majority.