DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng told FMT that the party would be contesting under the “big tent” of PH, with all parties set to use the coalition’s logo.

He added that PH would back Amanah’s Adly Zahari for the post of chief minister if the coalition wins. Adly held that post after the 2018 general election.

“Thirdly, we (DAP) will not accept Pengkalan Batu (Norhizam) as a candidate for the state election under PH,” he said firmly.

However, he chose not to comment on the prospects of former chief minister Idris Haron (Sungai Udang), Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas) and Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor) contesting under PH.

Meanwhile, Melaka DAP vice-chairman Khoo Poay Tiong said the party would not even consider fielding the Pengkalan Batu incumbent as a candidate. “Our stand is that we will not accept Norhizam,” he told FMT.

Asked if the party was open to the other three assemblymen contesting under PH, the Kota Melaka MP said he personally believed that PH should “move forward with better candidates”.

Idris, Noor Effandi, Nor Azman and Norhizam reportedly want to contest under PH in the state election, and had even met opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and other PH leaders at a hotel yesterday to discuss this.

But they acknowledged that they were “newcomers” to PH and would leave it to the coalition’s state chapter to decide on their fate.

On another matter, Lim urged the Election Commission (EC) to consult all political parties, including the opposition, on the SOPs in the run-up to the state election.

He said this was necessary to ensure a fair election that would not side one particular party or coalition, adding that it was not acceptable for the EC to decide on the SOPs on its own.