The opposition PKR-DAP-PAS leadership is to wrap up negotiations over the allocation of state and parliamentary seats for the next general election by the end of next month.

At a retreat yesterday, the leaders expressed the need for the talks over the seat allocation to be concluded as soon as possible to avoid any conflict among the three parties.

"We actually do not anticipate much problem on the seat arrangement. Should no agreement be reached, we can always fall back to the previous seat allocation which serves as our guideline.

"However, we want to give some avenue for discussion, particularly over seats where the elected representative has defected. Ideally, we want it (the negotiation over seats) to be resolved by the end of next month," said PKR vice-president Tian Chua.

PAS and DAP are said to be eyeing some parliamentary seats won by PKR in the 2008 general election, but which it lost due to defections.

In the 2008 general election, the opposition pact secured 82 parliamentary seats, with PKR emerging as the largest opposition party in Parliament with a total of 31 seats, the DAP having 28 and PAS, 23.

In terms of states, the opposition pact managed to wrest control of four states - Selangor, Perak, Penang and Kedah - and retained Kelantan.

However, seven PKR MPs decided to quit the party after the election and became independent elected representatives while the BN took control of Perak after three state assemblymen (two from PKR and one from DAP) quit their parties and became independent elected representatives.

In the recently concluded Sarawak state election, PKR and DAP locked horns over several key seats, which resulted in the much-publicised row between the leaders of the two parties.  

- Bernama