DAP today announced its list of candidates for all except three frontline states - Melaka, Selangor and Perak - where allocations are still being finalised for several seats.

Secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock said the party will name its candidates for Melaka this evening at the state headquarters while Perak and Selangor leaders will unveil their respective lists tomorrow.

"For Perak, the negotiation process with (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) Keadilan has delayed the placement of candidates.

"As for Melaka and Selangor, more time is required. There are no problems at all in Melaka. We just want to announce the list there," he said during a press conference at the party headquarters in Petaling Jaya.

Talks failed

Kerk also acknowledged that the party's negotiations with Keadilan have failed to resolve their dispute over five or six seats scattered across Penang and Perak.

"Officially, we have failed . The talks have ended... We hope that even if there has to be three-cornered fights, these will be kept to a minimum.

"We are still prepared to listen to the views from the other side. If we can agree there could be changes to today's list. Otherwise, no," he added.

Kerk said the upcoming general election, scheduled for March 21, is expected to be "the toughest general election in the history of DAP".

"It will be an uphill battle but we still believe we have a chance of doing well provided we can fulfill three factors. We have to adopt a correct strategy, come up with a credible candidates line-up and make thorough preparations," he added.

Disputed seats

Based on the list of Penang candidates released by DAP and Keadilan, three-cornered fights appear imminent for the Batu Kawan parliamentary seat and the state seats of Bukit Tambun and Sungai Pinang.

The two parties are also expected to clash in the state seats of Gurun and Bukit Selambau in Kedah.

Kerk declined to say if DAP was asked to give an assurance to Keadilan that it would help form a state government in Kedah if the need arises as a condition for Keadilan not to contest for the two state seats.

"We have an agreement not to talk about the negotiation details. Keadilan and PAS have their own agenda. We are not part of it. Ours is based on the party's principles and policies.

"We do not want to be trapped into the hypothetical question of whether we will join the opposition or the government if we win the two seats," he said.

Both sides have yet to resolve the brewing dispute over Ipoh Timor where DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang will contest in a three-cornered fight with Keadilan and BN.

However the parties have solved their disagreement over the Bukit Gelugor parliamentary constituency in which DAP deputy chief Karpal Singh will contest.

Keadilan had earlier threatened to field strong candidates against the veteran DAP leaders but later changed its stance.

Newcomers' test

Based on the candidates list, DAP has assigned a number of newcomers to contest in seats currently held by high-profile Barisan Nasional (BN) incumbents.

In Penang, Zulkifli Mohd Noor will challenge Gerakan secretary-general Chia Kwang Chye at the Bukit Bendera parliamentary constituency while Ng Yeow Chong will be pitted against Penang Chief Minister and Gerakan vice-president Dr Koh Tsu Koon for the Tanjong Bunga state seat.

In Kuala Lumpur, Youth assistant secretary Kuan Perk Siong will go against Gerakan vice-president Dr Tan Kee Kwong , a two-term incumbent of the Segambut parliamentary seat.

All incumbent parliamentarians and state assemblypersons have also been retained in their seats, including Kerk, who said he will be defending his Kota Melaka parliamentary seat.

The list of incumbents also include Triang (Pahang) state assemblyperson Leong Ngah Ngah who was embroiled in an internal party dispute last November. The Triang branch committee was dissolved by the DAP leadership to halt the escalation of the quarrel.

DAP will not be fielding any candidates in the PAS controlled states of Kelantan and Terengganu.

According to Kerk, DAP will be fielding an estimated 46 candidates at the federal level and 110 at the state level. These figures include the yet to be named candidates for Perak, Selangor and Melaka.