DAP, PKR expected to clash in five seats
Published on: Sunday, April 17, 2016
Kuching: DAP and its Pakatan Harapan ally PKR are expected to face each other in five constituencies when Sarawak votes on May 7, unless either party agrees to relinquish its claim over the seats before nominations on April 25.Among the 29 seats that DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng announced Saturday are Dayak-majority Tasik Biru, Mambong, Simanggang, Bukit Semuja and Mulu, five of which Sarawak PKR has also said it intends to field its candidates."As far as we are concerned, our list is final," Lim today reporters at a press conference here, adding that PKR's national Deputy President Datuk Seri Azmin Ali had agreed to the matter.ADVERTISEMENT When pointed out that DAP's seat list contradicts a previous agreement between leaders of the party's state chapter and their counterparts in Sarawak PKR, Lim said, "It has nothing to do with us."Sarawak PKR Chairman Baru Bian, when contacted, confirmed that his party is also eyeing contests in Tasik Biru, Mambong, Simanggang, Bukit Semuja and Mulu. "Yes, the five are among the 40 seats in our list," he said.Among the 29 seats on the DAP list, 14 are Chinese-majority, 14 are Dayak-majority and one is Malay-Majority.Sarawak DAP Chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the party had decided not to field more candidates in Malay-majority areas because it does not have sufficient voter support.ADVERTISEMENT "We only contest in areas where we have the support," he said.Apart from the five overlapping seats, the remaining nine Dayak-majority seats that the DAP is vying for are Kedup, Murum, Pakan, Ngemah, Pelagus, Katibas, Baleh, Kemena and Samalaju.
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The Chinese-majority seats, on the other hand, are Padungan, Pending, Kota Sentosa, Batu Kawah, Repok, Meradong, Bukit Assek, Dudong, Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Tanjung Batu, Piasau, Pujut and Senadin.The sole Malay majority seat to be contested by the DAP is Stakan.Baru, meanwhile, said today that Sarawak PKR has already made known its stand on the list of seats."What Lim has said to you (reporters) is not what I know. I don't want to tell the media about what I know from our national leaders," he said.Despite the disagreement on the list of seats to be contested by DAP and PKR, Baru said there is room for further negotiation."We have not completely closed our door. Both sides must be prepared to give way," he said, adding that PKR will release its list of seats and the names of the candidates on April 20.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Sarawak will vote on May 7. There will be 82 seats up for contest this year, an increase of 11 from the 71 seats contested in the 2011 state polls.In the 2011 polls, DAP won the lion's share of seats for the federal opposition, snapping up 12 of the 15 seats it contested while PKR took just three of the 45 seats it vied for.