ALOR STAR: Kedah Pas has sneered at its splinter party Parti Amanah Negara (PAN) for receiving the least number of seats to contest in the 14th General Election (GE14).
The party’s state deputy commissioner Muhamad Sanusi Md Nor said the number of seats received only goes to show that PAN has no strength and influence with the least supporters among the four parties in Pakatan Harapan.
It also indicated that the party is not given the due respect by PKR and DAP although the three were the first that initiated the pact before Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) came in.
“Their strength and influence were left behind when they quit Pas to form PAN.
“In fact PAN was formed through DAP and PKR’s hard work to split Pas. Thus, it comes as no surprise for PAN to receive the least number of seats,” he said when contacted.
Meanwhile, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) political analyst Dr Rusdi Omar said the 27 out of a total of 165 seats for PAN is a clear indication of the party’s hierarchy in the pact.
He said it also portrayed how little the pact deems PAN’s role is in Pakatan’s plan to form the government if the pact wins GE14.
Rusdi said Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) is given the role of wrestling seats occupied by Umno, which neither PKR nor PAN is able to penetrate.
“I can tell that the basis in seat distribution among the four parties is for PPBM to woo Malay votes especially in Umno strongholds.
“However the theory is hard to achieve by the opposition pact,” he said when contacted.
Kedah PAN chairman Datuk Dr Ismail Salleh merely stated that party was allocated three parliamentary seats in Kedah – Pokok Sena, Padang Terap and Sik.
However, he declined to elaborate further as the decision was made by the top party leaders in Pakatan.
“We accepted the party’s decision for the seat distribution,” he said.
Ismail said of the total 15 seats, PKR and PPBM were each allocated six seats.
No parliamentary seats were allocated for DAP in Kedah.