Seat negotiations among Pakatan Rakyat allies are yet to be finalised and state leaders have been told not to issue statements on the yet-to-be-finalised list, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said.

Several states were yet to complete their negotiations on seat allocations, the Pakatan supremo said, while the others were close to finalising their lists for the coming 13th general election.

As days go by, speculation is growing that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak may call for a snap general election as early as November, although it is not due until 2013.

NONE A meeting among Pakatan leaders at PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur last week decided that all states should continue discussions to finalise seat allocations among coalition members PAS, DAP and PKR.

"We have instructed all state DAP, PAS and PKR leaders to continue with their negotiations and to give their views, but they cannot commit Pakatan at state levels because seat allocations are still in the process of negotiation," Anwar said.

"We also find some statements being issued, but I think the sentiments expressed by the leadership are that it not advisable to announce things that are not yet resolved," he added at a Hari Raya do in Kubang Semang yesterday, which he and Penang Deputy Chief Minister Mansor Othman hosted.

State leaders must not jump the gun

In the past, such negotiations have often caused differences among the Opposition allies as contenders from the three parties vied for the same seats.

It is learnt that the negotiations have hit a snag in some states, with individual parties clamouring for more seats or to contest in areas where they lacked traditional support and expected their partners to help them garner votes.

Last week, Penang DAP committee member Zulkifli Mohd Noor called on PKR to allow DAP's Malay candidates to contest at least six seats - one parliamentary and five state seats - so that DAP would not be perceived as marginalisng the community.

Anwar reminded state leaders not to jump the gun as even if the negotiations are confirmed at the local level, the seat allocations still need the approval of the national leadership.

Generally, Pakatan had done "far better" in the discussions than it did in 2008, when the 12th general election was called.

"In that year, by the time Parliament was resolved, Pakatan had not finalised the major issues. Now, the major parameters have been finalised," said the Permatang Pauh MP.

On the Penang scenario, Anwar said most of the seats have been resolved in his discussions with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Mansor and state PAS commissioner Salleh Man, though the final outcome was yet to be forwarded to him.