DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has described MCA’s decision not to field candidates in three traditional seats during the Negeri Sembilan state election as a move that could indirectly help DAP retain those constituencies.
The seats involved are the state constituencies of Lobak, Mambau and Lukut, which have been allocated for Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidates to contest.
Loke said he appreciated MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong’s decision, describing it as a move that gave DAP an advantage in the upcoming polls.
“I would like to thank Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong for being so generous in helping DAP by not contesting.
“Even if we lose, we would still fight for the seats, but MCA has been very generous. It is up to MCA members to judge,” he said during a walkabout with six PH candidates at Pasar Besar Seremban.
The six PH candidates involved are Ho Weng Wah for Temiang, Lee Kai Yet for Mambau, Siau Meow Kong for Rahang, Nicole Tan for Bukit Kepayang, S. Mugunthan for Seremban Jaya and Chew Seh Yong for Lobak.
Loke, who is also DAP Negeri Sembilan chairman, said MCA’s decision was part of a broader political arrangement between BN and PN aimed at avoiding multi-cornered contests and reducing vote splitting.
He said MCA had sacrificed three of its traditional seats as part of an arrangement that allowed PN not to contest certain areas where BN was fielding candidates.
“The objective is to prevent vote fragmentation and make it easier for support to be transferred between the parties,” he said.
Loke added that among the seven seats contested by MCA in the election — Chennah, Bahau, Nilai, Temiang, Rahang, Chuah and Repah — only Chennah would see a direct one-on-one contest between him and the MCA candidate.
The Seremban MP expressed confidence that DAP would continue receiving support from voters of various backgrounds based on its service record in Chennah since 2013.
Loke, who is defending the Chennah seat, will face MCA Negeri Sembilan Youth chief Siow Kong Choon, who is contesting under the BN banner.
He also said DAP was confident of retaining all 11 seats it is contesting and hoped the results would help PH form the state government.
“PH is the best choice for the people of Negeri Sembilan compared with the BN and PN coalition. I urge voters across the state to support all PH candidates,” he said.
The Negeri Sembilan state assembly was dissolved on June 5, with the Election Commission setting Aug 1 as polling day and July 28 for early voting.
A total of 889,490 registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including 867,151 ordinary voters, 16,884 military personnel and their spouses, as well as 5,455 police personnel who will vote early.
