Chow said the agreement was made during a “historic” meeting, the first of its kind, between Umno and PH representatives yesterday.

“We have agreed to cooperate in the coming Penang state polls, to not contest against each other, to ensure victory for PH and BN,” Chow told reporters at a press conference in Penang.

Penang Umno was represented by its state chief Musa Sheikh Fadzir, deputy chief Shaikh Hussein Mydin and Umno election department chief Reezal Merican Naina Merican, among others.

Chow, former Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar, and Penang DAP secretary Lim Hui Ying represented PH.

When asked about the absence of BN’s other component parties, Chow said the meeting focused mainly on Malay-majority seats. On April 29, Chow had said that the other BN component parties would be present at the meeting.

He said the discussions between PH and BN regarding the Penang polls were an ongoing process and the second meeting would be held as soon as possible.

Penang is one of six states in which elections to the state assembly must be held in the weeks after June. The other states are Kedah, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Terengganu.