Feb 18, 2013- The long-standing dispute over seat allocations between DAP and PKR in Johor has escalated into open warfare.
DAP state chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau has urged PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim or president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail to take over the state leadership from Chua Jui Meng (Pic).
Describing Chua as an “overlord” in a statement in Chinese issued today, Boo (left) said he could no longer work with Chua, whose “arrogance” has damaged the strong collaboration built between Johor DAP and PKR before Chua took in 2010.
Chua defected from MCA to PKR in July 2009.
“I am anxious and worried about the collapsing relationship among Pakatan Rakyat coalition parties in Johor over the past two year,” said Boo, who is the assemblyperson for Skudai.
“Most DAP and PKR leaders and (those at) the grassroots have no problem cooperating, but the arrogance of Chua, which has gone beyond the parties, is the main reason for the split in Johor Pakatan.”
He went on to demand that Anwar or Wan Azizah take over Chua’s post as state chief to coordinate ties among Pakatan parties in Johor, which is crucial if Pakatan is to capture Putrajaya in the coming general election.
Boo was unhappy that Chua, in an interview with Malaysiakini, had criticised DAP for recommending its Bukit Bendera MP Liew Chin Tong for the Gelang Patah parliamentary seat which PKR had contested in the past two general elections.
“Chua (right) himself also repeatedly announced that he will represent PKR in Gelang Patah, although the Pakatan central leadership has not made any final decision,” said Boo.
“He also rejected many proposals of Johor DAP and PAS, as if he is the overlord of Johor.”
Boo claimed that discussion of seat allocations had been smooth from 1995 to 2008, and that DAP has been instrumental in balancing the interests of the three parties, citing these examples:
1. Although DAP had contested the Tangkak state seat in 1990, 1995 and 1999, it gave the seat to PKR in 2004.
In 2008, upon DAP’s request, PAS gave the Ledang parliamentary seat to DAP on condition that Tangkak was returned to DAP. All parties were satisfied with the arrangement.
2. DAP gave Gelang Patah to then Johor PKR head Abdul Razak Ahmad in 1995 and 2004 despite this being a Chinese-majority seat, as he was widely respected by the grassroots of both parties. In 1999, Abdul Razak agreed to let DAP contest Gelang Patah, saying the party could win in long run.
However, Abdul Razak died in 2007 without leaving any written agreement on the allocation of Gelang Patah. In 2008, PKR state chief Dr Zaleha Mustafa went against the agreement and contested the seat.
Boo claimed that a survey had then shown that the DAP has a better chance of wresting back Gelang Patah from MCA, but that the findings were not given attention.
“If DAP had contested in Gelang Patah, probably Pakatan would have won the seat in 2008.”
‘Proposals rejected’
In the latest attempt to conclude the seat negotiations, said Boo, the DAP has convinced PAS to give PKR the Tebrau parliamentary constituency, a seat held by MCA and where the majority of voters are non-Malays.
“In return, DAP will contest in Gelang Patah… the seat allocation will be the same as in 2008 – PKR will contest 11 parliamentary seats, DAP will contest seven parliamentary seats and the remaining eight seats will be contested by PAS,” said Boo.
He said the DAP has also suggested that PAS gives more state seats to PKR for a balanced scenario.
However, Boo claimed that Chua had arbitrarily rejected the proposal, as well as consensus reached by grassroots leaders of the three parties on seats in Johor Bahru.
They decided that the Johor Bahru parliamentary seat and the two state seats within it – Stulang and Tanjung Puteri – will be contested by PKR, DAP and PAS respectively.
“Chua is new in Pakatan but he does not respect the long history of close collaboration among the three parties, and has distorted history to claim that only PKR contested Gelang Patah in the past, dismissing the previous agreement between PKR and DAP.”
Without mincing words, Boo accused Chua of “turning PKR into another MCA” that defames DAP and its leaders.
He also claimed that Chua has been pressuring him to give up the Bakri or Segamat parliamentary seats in exchange of Gelang Patah.
“The reason behind Chua’s selfish and unreasonable demand is to find himself a safe seat,” said Boo.
He pointed out that other parliamentary seats – Tebrau, Batu Pahat, Pasir Gudang, Muar and Ledang – are winnable constituencies for PKR if it works hard.
