DAP eyeing 10 seats in coming general election

KUCHING: The state DAP will contest in at least 10 parliamentary seats come the 13th general election.

Its secretary Chong Chieng Jen revealed that the party’s aim was to field candidates in between 10 and 12 constituencies, but the final outcome would be subject to negotiations with its Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition partners PKR and PAS.

The Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament told reporters here yesterday that he expected the first round of negotiation to begin as early as next week as speculations were rife that the general polls could be held this coming November.

However, Chong was tight-lipped when asked which seats the party intended to contest in. He was only prepared to utter “it will be a mixture of Chinese, Malay and Dayak seats.”

He was also secretive when pressed how many Chinese-majority seats the DAP would be claiming.

“There are only six Chinese seats. DAP will take a mixture, and definitely more Dayak and Malay seats,” he said.

It should be noted that soon after the April 16 state polls, Chong had told a news conference that the state DAP (southern region) would propose to contest in Mambong, Mas Gading, Serian, Sri Aman and probably Petra Jaya.

The DAP negotiation squad would comprise state party chairman Wong Ho Leng, deputy chairman Chiew Chiu Sing, vice chairman Chong Siew Chiang, himself and treasurer Violet Yong.

The party contested in Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Lanang, Sibu, Sarikei, Bintulu and Miri during the 12th general election in 2008.

Chong, who is also Kota Sentosa assemblyman, revealed that the PR partners had held informal talks on seat allocations two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Wong has given an assurance that the party would be fielding women candidates, without stating a number.

“We will make sure that the rights of women will be respected,” quipped the Member of Parliament for Sibu.

Asked whether DAP had already identified the candidates for the 10 to 12 parliamentary seats it had in mind, Wong replied with a firm “Yes”.

He said he believed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would dissolve parliament in November this year following recent hints by the premier and his deputy.

“Najib has recently directed BN machinery to get ready and DPM (Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin) also indicated a few times it would be soon,” noted Wong, who is also Bukit Assek assemblyman.

Wong said the political climate “is quite mature for the general election to be called soon” as he cautioned that any delay would not favour Barisan Nasional, particularly due to global economy impacts.

Both Chong and Wong declined to reveal whether they would be defending Bandar Kuching and Sibu respectively.August 15, 2011, Monday

All DAP representatives to assemble in Kuching on July 9

SIBU: All the 12 assemblypersons from DAP will assemble in Kuching on July 9 to lend support to Bersih 2.0 rally which calls for fair and free elections.

The party’s state chairman Wong Ho Leng said they would make sure their activities were lawful and would not give the police any reason to arrest them.

“We will wear yellow as a show of solidarity and support to the Bersih 2.0 rally and we will conduct our activities in the most lawful way,” he said at a press conference held yesterday morning.

Wong, however, stopped short of disclosing how they would lend their support to the rally and where they would converge, saying all these were for security’s sake.

Sibu police chief ACP Shafie Ismail, who recently mentioned that the police had received information the rally would take place at four places in the state, including Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri, warned the public to stay away from the illegal rally, saying stern action would be taken against the participants.

Shafie had also advised the people not to wear yellow shirts on that day as they might be subjected to scrutiny.

Nevertheless, Wong said they were prepared to face the consequences should any of the one-dozen DAP assemblymen and assemblywomen face arrests.

“We know that the police could be engineering 101 reasons to detain us but we will make sure that our activities are lawful and will not give the police any grounds to arrest us,” he said.

Asked whether police have the rights to detain anybody wearing anything yellow, Wong said there was no law to stop the people from wearing yellow shirts.

Wong said the political climate now was such that everything, even the grass and woods, had become foes to the ruling BN government.

On whether DAP supporters would join them, Wong refused to disclose, saying the people would only come to know the outcome on July 9.

Wong also mentioned they would not be taking part in the July 9 rally planned in Kuala Lumpur.

On the rally, Wong said it was not aimed at toppling the BN government.

“The aim of Bersih 2.0 is not to topple the government but if the BN government falls, it is because the people had awoken and therefore to say that Bersih aims to topple the government is untrue.”

Bersih, according to Wong, does not play politics but is merely fighting for free and fair election.

“Indeed, if the recent state election was free and fair, without the rampant votes buying, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition would have won more seats.”

On talks that Sarawak BN also planned to come up with a rally in response to the Bersih 2.0 rally, Wong described such action as childish.

“A rally is staged with purpose but when a rally is staged to protest against a clean and fair election then there must be something wrong with the mentality of the BN supporters.”

He welcomed BN to come up with a rally but it must be a legitimate one.

“Yes, they are welcomed to do it but to do it with a legitimate purpose, not illegitimate purposes. What the BN does now is to respond to the Bersih 2.0 rally for the sake of responding. This type of mentality is childish and it shows that the BN leaders had lost their sense of direction.”

DAP youth registers 200 new voters

KUCHING: The youth section of Democratic Action Party (DAPSY) Kuching branch registered 200 new voters during a voters registration campaign held from July 1-3.

In a press statement released yesterday DAPSY stated that many Malaysian over 21 years old had not been registered as voters and they had set a target of registering 3,000 new voters by year’s end.

According to the Election Commission last year Sarawak had 48,000 eligible voters who were not registered which was 32 per cent of the total eligible voters throughout the state. Those wishing to register as voters can contact the DAP Service Centre here through Tel: 082-335531.

Pilihanraya ? Kami sudah bersedia

SIBU: Parti Tindakan Demokratik (DAP) Sarawak telah bersiap sedia dalam segala aspek untuk menghadapi pilihan raya negeri yang akan datang.

Pengerusi DAP negeri, Wong Ho Leng berkata, mereka kini cuma menunggu hasil rundingan dengan komponen parti lain di bawah Pakatan Rakyat (PR), terutama melibatkan pengagihan kira-kira lima kerusi.

Wong yang dihubungi petang semalam memberitahu, pada pilihan raya nanti, DAP dijangka akan bertanding di 25 kerusi di seluruh negeri.

“Pada akhir bulan ini kita akan bertemu dengan pemimpin PKR bagi membincangkan perkara terbabit (pengagihan kerusi). Hasil daripada perbincangan tersebut kemudian dibawa dalam pertemuan dengan pemimpin dari komponen parti lain dalam PR,” katanya.
Menurut Wong, sebagai persiapan DAP telah menubuhkan cawangan baru di kawasan Bumiputera (native zone) dan campuran (mix zone) di beberapa bahagian di seluruh negeri.

Dua daripada cawangan tersebut ditubuhkan di Sibu iaitu masing-masing di Sibu Jaya dan Sungai Merah; Sri Aman, Serian, Piasau serta Limbang.

Katanya, bagi mengukuhkan lagi parti itu, DAP turut menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Protem di Senadin, Miri.

“Setakat ini perbincangan di antara DAP dengan komponen parti lain di bawah PR dalam persekitaran yang aman,” ujar beliau yang enggan mengulas lebih lanjut mengenai kerusi yang bakal ditandingi DAP pada pilihan raya nanti.

Jelas beliau, pengumuman kerusi yang akan ditandingi pada pilihan raya nanti akan diumumkan dalam masa terdekat.

Ketika ditanya sama ada Wong Ching Yong akan menyertai DAP selepas meletak jawatan sebagai ahli Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak (SUPP) cawangan Dudong, Wong yang juga Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Bukit Assek, memberitahu beliau masih belum menerima sebarang permohonan daripada Wong untuk menyertai DAP.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, beliau berharap Wong dapat mencari parti baru untuk disertai bagi meneruskan karier politiknya.

“DAP sentiasa terbuka kepada semua orang yang menyokong ideologinya,” kata Wong lagi.