KUALA LUMPUR: Leaders of Pakatan Harapan parties will decide which party and candidate will contest seats, said Johor DAP in reference to Kluang Parti Amanah Negara's demand for the Mahkota state seat.
Johor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong said PH party leaders would reach a consensus on the matter and there was no need to discuss it in the media.
He said Johor DAP would stick to the "incumbency" principle, which gives priority to the party that last won a seat in a general or state election to contest it in a by-election.
A by-election is set to be called for the Mahkota state seat following the death of Barisan Nasional assemblyman Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain on Friday.
Liew, who is also DAP deputy secretary-general, said this was the practice in the by-elections for the Pulai parliamentary seat and Simpang Jeram state seat.
"Seat negotiations will be determined by the PH and BN leaderships and Johor DAP will respect the decision."
Today, Kluang Amanah asked to be allowed to contest the Mahkota state seat. The by-election has not been called yet.
Kluang Amanah chief Dr Mohd Zuhan Mohd Zain said the party won the seat in the 14th General Election and contested it in the 2022 state election.
He said Kluang Umno expressing unwillingness to cooperate with one of the parties in Pakatan Harapan had deeply hurt the grassroots, which opened up a chance for enemies to create divides between PH and BN.
In the 2022 state polls, Sharifah Azizah, 64, who was Kluang Wanita Umno chief, won the Mahkota state seat with a 5,166-vote majority in a four-cornered fight.