Pakatan confident of ‘mission impossible’

By B Nantha Kumar, FMT



PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Rakyat is gearing to launch a powerful offensive in Malacca, which is considered a Barisan Nasional stronghold, in the next general election.



Although political pundits predict that BN would retain power, PKR and PAS were aiming to win more seats in the state assembly.



Sources revealed that the two opposition parties alongside DAP would bank on “Umno’s arrogance” in running the state to pull in the votes.



In the 2008 general election, BN won 23 seats while the opposition won five – all by DAP.



DAP contested eight but won the Bachang, Ayer Keroh, Kesidang, Kota Laksamana and Bandar Hilir state seats. PAS contested 13 seats while PKR fielded seven candidates.



Time time around, a Malacca DAP leader said Pakatan was confident of capturing at least 14 of the 28 state seats up for grabs.



While political analysts dismissed this as “mission impossible”, the opposition believes that with the right campaign strategy, it could turn the tide against BN.



In the next general election, DAP plans to increase its tally to six while PAS and PKR were aiming to seize four seats each.



“DAP is confident of retaining five seats. They are also eyeing the Duyong seat, it is the only state seat they lost in the Kota Melaka parliamentary constituency in the last general election,” a party insider told FMT.



The Duyong seat was won by BN candidate Gan Tian Loo with a slim 806 vote majority defeating DAP’s Damian Yeo Shen Li.



Extra seat for PKR



However, there were several issues which needed to be ironed out before DAP could contest the seat.



Speculation was rife that PKR wanted the seat as part of a swap plan. DAP leaders on the other hand were adamant about contesting in Duyong.

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