DAP to contest in all incumbent seats in Penang

The Democratic Action Party, one of the component parties of the Pakatan Harapan coalition, is set to contest in all their incumbent seats in Penang, a state in northwest Malaysia, in the upcoming state election.

Anthony Loke, the Minister of Transport of Malaysia and the secretary-general of DAP, said they did not make any big changes for DAP in the upcoming state elections.

On Saturday, Loke gave licenses for motorcyclists under the MyLesen B2 national programme at a driving school in Balik Pulau, a town within the jurisdiction of Penang. The programme was implemented by the Transport Ministry through the Road Transport Department (JPJ). Loke attended the event launched for the B40 group. Subsequently, he attended a press conference held after the event.

The Minister of Transport in the Pakatan Harapan administration responded to queries about how many seats DAP would be contesting in the state elections next month. He reportedly said, “The seats have not had any big changes. We will be contesting in all the seats that were won by DAP in the previous elections.”

State elections are set to take place in Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu on August 12. Loke said he did not receive the full list of nominees from all six states.

Penang state election will be held to elect the State Assembly members of the 15th Penang State Legislative Assembly. 

In 2018, Pakatan Harapan, a Malaysian political coalition consisting of centre-left political parties, won Penang state, winning 37 out of the 40 state seats. 

Recently, the Election Commission (EC) of Malaysia fixed August 12 as polling day. Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh, the chairman of EC, said, “A total of 245 state seats will be contested, including 36 in Kedah; 45 in Kelantan; 32 in Terengganu; 40 in Penang; 56 in Selangor and 36 in Negeri Sembilan.”