GEORGE TOWN: DAP will field more new faces in the coming general election to retain the seats it won in previous polls, says secretary-general Anthony Loke.

Loke said interviews would be conducted to pick the best candidates who can win seats with the cooperation of Pakatan Harapan component parties and that the party"will go into the general election from a position of strength".

"I don't like to sound overconfident, but... I have full confidence in (Chief Minister) Chow (Kon Yeow) to retain Penang with a new mandate.

"We will also defend and retain all the seats won in the last election with the support of our component parties," he told a press conference after paying a courtesy call to Chow at the Chief Minister's office in Komtar here on Friday (May 20).

Asked if Pakatan partner PKR may lose seats to Umno, Loke said he could not speak for the party.

Loke said DAP has been fielding new faces in every election as part of an ongoing internal rejuvenation process.

"There are no numbers or percentages on new faces... but the focus will be to win all the seats contested in the last election, especially in frontline states.

"Most of us in DAP are young, including myself where I am only 45, and we can't replace everyone, as some of us have only been elected for two terms," he added.

National party organising secretary Steven Sim was also present.

"Penang is our primary frontline state which we have retained for three terms with the other two being Selangor and Negri Sembilan," Loke said.

On cooperation with the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), Loke said it was "a friendly party" and Pakatan was open to discussions with it.

"What is important is to strengthen Pakatan and work towards retaining seats. It doesn't make sense to go after new seats at the expense of existing ones," he added.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/05/20/more-new-faces-to-be-fielded-in-ge15-says-loke