There have been many misleading, incorrect and even baseless reports about Pakatan Rakyat negotiations on seats allocations which I think should be put straight for the record, viz:
Firstly, the Pakatan Rakyat leadership decision that I leave the comparatively safe seat of Ipoh Timor which I had won with a majority of over 21,000 votes in 2008 for Gelang Patah, which was won by the MCA/BN with a majority of some 9,000 votes in 2008 and a humongous majority of 31,666 votes in 2004 in a mission to help propel a “political tsunami” in Johore for Pakatan Rakyat to arrive in Putrajaya in the 13GE was not in exchange for any seat.
Secondly, the proposal that DAP allow PKR’s Chua Jui Meng to contest in Segamat is under discussion and negotiation.
UMNO/Barisan Nasional leaders and propagandists have launched ferocious hypocritical and double-tongued attacks against Pakatan Rakyat, alleging among the Malays that a Pakatan Rakyat victory would be detrimental to the future of Malays and Islam on the ground that DAP is anti-Malay and anti-Islam while the Chinese are warned that a Pakatan Rakyat victory will see the deprivation and derogation of the rights of the Chinese and the non-Muslims because the DAP are only stooge, puppet even “eunuchs” vis-a-vis PAS leaders.
These are just lies and falsehoods. The great difference between the Pakatan Rakyat and the Barisan Nasional is that PR is a coalition of political equals while BN is a coalition of UMNO as the political hegemon where the other 13 BN partners are just puppets and hangers-on.
This is why I had said many times public that I hoped that the Pakatan Rakyat will be able to win the 13GE with the strong and healthy majority by winning 125 parliamentary seats which will be distributed evenly among the three PR parties – PKR with 45 and DAP and PAS with 40 parliamentary seats each.
For Johore, an even distribution of the 26 Parliamentary seats among the three parties in PR would mean each party would be contesting in eight or nine seats each.
In the 2008GE, DAP contested in six parliamentary seats, namely Kulai, Kluang, Bakri, Labis, Segamat and Tanjong Piai. Even with Gelang Patah in the 13GE, DAP will be contesting in seven parliamentary seats which is short of the one-third of eight to nine parliamentary seats.
Thirdly, one-third of the 56 state assembly seats in Johore is 18 – 19 seats. DAP contested in 12 State Assembly seats in the 2008GE. For the 13GE, DAP proposes to contest in 15 State Assembly seats (including Pengkalan Rinting and Johor Jaya) – which is three to four seats short of the one-third of the Johore State Assembly seats which DAP should be contesting.
There have been allegations that I am “greedy” and want to stand both in Gelang Patah parliamentary seat and the Johor Jaya state assembly seat.
Nothing could be further from my mind.
Let me make it very clear that I never had any intention to contest in any Johor state assembly seat, especially as the DAP has a most suitable and appropriate candidate for the Johor Jaya seat – Sdri Liow Cai Tung, DAPSY Executive Council member and DAPSY Assistant Publicity Secretary.
Liow is 27 years old and I am 72 years old, but our “7227” partnership symbolises the real strength and vigour of the DAP where the old-middle/aged-old unite the wisdom, experience, enthusiasm and energy of all age groups in a common cause to bring justice, freedom, competitiveness and prosperity for the country and all Malaysian citizens.
I have no doubt that Liow would be an excellent PR State Assemblywoman for Johor Jaya and give her the fullest endorsement.
I admit however that the allocation of the Johor Jaya state assemby seat has yet to be decided by the Pakatan Rakyat parties, although DAP could legitimately seek to contest in another three or four seats in keeping with a one-third distribution of the 56 state assembly seats in Johore among the three PR parties.
I have never wanted to comment on ongoing discussions particularly on seats negotiations but I am making an exception today in order to correct the many misperceptions running wild in the public domain.
I would however urge everyone, whether in DAP or Pakatan Rakyat parties, to refrain from making any more public comments on the on-going seats negotiations and to leave it to the PR leadership to make the final decision – as we must never be deflected from one and only one goal, to defeat UMNO and BN in the 13GE and to establish a new PR Federal Government to end the rampant corruption, cronyism, injustices and abuses of power after 56 years of UMNO/BN rule.
(Speech when visiting Taman Johor Jaya on Monday, 1st April 2013 at 10 am)