State polls: Three seats key to unity pact victory in Kedah, says Mahfuz

ALOR SETAR: The Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional unity pact believes a simple majority to form the new Kedah government is achievable in Saturday’s (Aug 12) election, says Datuk Mahfuz Omar.

The state Pakatan chairman said this would depend on winning three seats where the margin of victory was still small at the moment.

“As of now, God willing, we are confident that we can achieve (a simple majority),” he told a press conference at Kedah Umno headquarters on Wednesday (Aug 9).

While he declined to reveal the three seats in question, Mahfuz said the unity partners were working hard to secure a comfortable margin in those seats.

It is believed that the seats Mahfuz was referring to were Kuah, Ayer Hangat and Guar Chempedak, where the incumbents were all from Perikatan Nasional’s component Bersatu.

Mahfuz, who is Amanah vice president, said it would be a bonus if the unity pact won more than 19 seats – the minimum for a simple majority in the 36-seat legislative assembly.

“We don’t want to chase big numbers … (it is) enough for us to focus on three more seats and we can form the new state government with a simple majority,” he said.

This was not the first time the unity pact leadership has voiced its confidence in wresting the state from Perikatan, which goes into the polls with 20 incumbents.

On Monday (Aug 7), PKR secretary-general Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the pact could win a minimum of 19 seats.

Kedah Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the unity pact would decide who would be mentri besar after achieving victory.

“A list of three names will be put forward as possible candidates to the Kedah Ruler, who will decide on the mentri besar when the new state government is formed,” he said.

Mahdzir had said earlier that as campaigning entered its second week, the unity pact had received positive feedback from voters.

He said from the reports gathered through the machinery in each constituency, voters were aware that it was important for the state government to be aligned with Putrajaya.

“The support has (progressively improved) among all races,” he added.