KUALA LUMPUR — DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook has categorically ruled out any electoral cooperation between Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional in the coming Negeri Sembilan state election, describing the situation as "tit for tat" after Umno's decision to contest all seats in Johor.
Speaking at a press conference after attending the Federal Territories DAP event, Loke said the circumstances that triggered the dissolution of the Negeri Sembilan assembly made cooperation impossible.
"The whole idea of dissolving the state assembly was because Umno had withdrawn its support. How can we now say we will cooperate with them just to avoid any defeat?" Loke said.
He confirmed that PH would contest all 36 seats in Negeri Sembilan, a direct response to BN's earlier announcement that it would contest all 56 seats in the Johor state polls.
"Umno wants to fight everything in Johor. PH also wants to fight everything in Negeri Sembilan. So, tit for tat," Loke said.
The DAP leader's comments come despite BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi saying his coalition remained open to continuing cooperation with PH to maintain the unity government in Negeri Sembilan, although formal talks on electoral cooperation had yet to take place.
Loke also hit back at PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli, who had claimed on his podcast that DAP had pressured the Negeri Sembilan government to dissolve the assembly to hold simultaneous elections with Johor.
Loke said he had spoken directly with Aminuddin immediately after the Johor dissolution and was told the menteri besar was ready to move for a dissolution. "I think Rafizi has a new syndrome — he also has the syndrome where everyone wants to blame DAP. They only want to blame DAP," Loke said.
Despite the collision course at the state level, Loke emphasised that the relationship between PH and BN at the federal level remained intact. "As far as we are concerned, at this point it is still a working relationship. We are still running the government together," he said, adding that the Cabinet continued to function as normal.
The Negeri Sembilan state assembly was dissolved on June 5, two months after 14 Umno assemblymen withdrew support for Aminuddin as menteri besar. The Election Commission has yet to set dates for the Negeri Sembilan polls.
Sources: Free Malaysia Today, Bernama
