Kedah DAP will only resort to initiating three-cornered fights in the next polls if seat negotiations within Pakatan Rakyat break down completely.

kedah defection ceramah 220510 dap adun lee guan aik Clarifying his statement yesterday, DAP’s Kota Darul Aman assemblyperson Lee Guan Aik (right) said the situation has not reached this level and that the dispute in Kedah could still be salvaged with help from the Pakatan central leadership.

"The problem is that the top leaders have yet to discuss the matter. But I am still hoping for the best answer," he said when contacted.

Lee said he felt the need to issue a clarification after ‘being bombarded’ with questions from the media following his statement.

Malaysiakini had quoted him as saying that, if the DAP fails to obtain more seats, the party may have no choice but to go for three-cornered battles.

Lee had been responding to an announcement by Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak that DAP would not get additional seats.

Azizan had reportedly said that the seat distribution among PAS, PKR and DAP would be based on the 2008 status quo.

However, Lee said the political landscape in Kedah has changed, and that the DAP is seeking to contest six state and two parliamentary seats in the 13th general election.

Kedah PKR, meanwhile, has urged the DAP to return to the Pakatan Presidential Council guidelines on seat distribution.

‘Stick with guidelines’

State PKR chief Wan Salleh Wan Isa said it is irrational of the DAP to ask for seats that PKR had won in 2004.

azlan He backed Azizan's (left) suggestion that the seat allocation should be based on the 2008 status quo.

"According to the guidelines, the party which won the seat in GE12 will retain it in the coming election," he said when contacted.

"The overlapping seats requested by DAP are those won by PKR. It is not appropriate for (the DAP) to demand those seats.”

Wan Salleh was referring to the Bakar Arang and Lunas state seats, and the Padang Serai parliamentary constituency, which were won on a PKR ticket.

However, the representatives concerned then became Independents, leading to the DAP taking an interest in the seats.

Wan Salleh expressed the hope that, when the central leadership announces its decision, the matter will be put to rest.

"We hope DAP will accept the decision with an open heart for the sake of the continuity of the state administration," he said.

"As state leaders we need to accede to the direction of the central leadership. We cannot do as we like although it involves issues within the state.”

It is learnt that PKR has been reluctant to meet with DAP to discuss allocation of the seats, and has left it to PAS to decide on the situation.

According to a Pakatan source, PAS is not too worried about the dispute because it is in agreement with PKR.

"The DAP is concerned because, if it has problems with PKR, this would affect the Pakatan coalition in Kedah," he said.

"It is not that the DAP does not want to resolve the matter - PKR has refused to discuss it with the party.”