KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional (PN) is looking for the most appropriate and competent candidates to represent the coalition in six state elections which must be called the latest by July.
PN Secretary General Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the coalition will be careful in its approach to determining its candidates so that only individuals capable of winning will be shortlisted.
He told this to reporters after attending the PN Chinese New Year Open House at Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia headquarters here today.
Hamzah, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia secretary general said PN was optimistic that it would be able to wrest three states currently controlled by PH and maintain its dominance in Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.
He declined to comment on the dissolution date of the Legislative Assembly in three states controlled by PN.
Six states which will see the need for polls to be held by July this year, namely Selangor, Penang, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu
Meanwhile, Gerakan president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau emphasised that the main principle of the party's candidate negotiations in the forthcoming state polls was to ensure a PN victory.
The Penang PN chairman said negotiations involving seats and candidates between the coalition's component parties were currently ongoing.
"Who will be the candidate is not a big issue. What is more important is who represents PN to win the seat.
"This is our (Gerakan's) main principle. We will (still) contest to represent PN but most importantly we need to win in the next state polls," he said.