KUCHING – Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today stood as a unified force and vowed to go into the battle of the State general election to wrestle Sarawak from the Barisan Nasional on a one to one fight.DAP State Chief, Wong Ho Leng in a press conference said there was a number of reports stating that State Pakatan Rakyat (DAP, PKR, SNAP and PAS) had internal squabbling and conflicts.
“I wish to tell you all that there is none of such and BN leaders especially Jabu should not be unduly overjoyed of us having an internal squabble,” he said.
He said just yesterday the Barisan Nasional (BN) convention held in Kuching, the BN leaders were saying that PR is a total different opposition today compared with yesteryears.
“James Masing said we are stronger and a force to reckon with as we are organized and have resources. Resources, no and we don’t rely on Selangor and Penang. We are still as poor as ever but organized, yes, we are going to give BN a run for their money,” he said.
He said the meeting was more of the four team’s unified working relationship and to negotiation on the allocation of seats in the next two weeks as the bells of the State election is sounding near.
Wong stated that the allocation of seats is more of over lapping and there is no clash between all of them. He explained that DAP did not have any overlapping with SNAP but a few with PKR while SNAP may have a few overlapping with PKR and PAS or vice-versa.
PKR has spoken of wanting 52 seats while SNAP wants 28, DAP 20 and PAS, 6. There are 71 state seats and all the four parties agreed that wanting the number of seat is one thing but getting it is another thing as they agreed to compromise in two weeks’ time.
In a two hour meeting which PKR Chief, Baru Bian who had to leave for Lawas in the middle of the session, the meeting continued with PKR Vice Chairman Nicholas Bawin.
Nicholas echoed Wong’s statement that the relationship between the four coalition party’s relationship is good and the people working on the ground is waiting for a big change to occur and that will only happen if they worked in unity.
“So it is very important to us,” he said.
SNAP Secretary General, Stanley Jugoh said he has no qualms working with the PR coalition as their role is to unseat the BN.
“SNAP subject to the common goal of PR. We must have a full co-operation among us and in today’s discussion, I see no problems working with them. We have two weeks to sort out our seat allocation and it is going to be a give and take,” he said adding that was the only formula if they want to sink or swim with PR.
PAS Commission Sarawak, Haji Adam bin Haji Ahid, also echo the same issue about wanting to fight on a one to one basis with the BN.
He said PAS wants six seats, Beting Maro, Sebuyau, Sadong Jaya, Tupong, , Senadin and Jepak. However, he said PAS is willing to give up some of the seats if the other PR coalition has a higher chance of winning.
Chong Siew Chiang, Vice Chairman of Sarawak said the coalition met today has only one principal in mind, that is to give to the party which has a higher chance of winning the seat.
“It must be justify with the candidate working hard on the ground and not necessary an incumbent. Dominque cannot claimed that he has a sure win,” he said when asked by reporters on the incumbent candidate.
Wong said they had never look at incumbency as a rightful candidate.
“What if the incumbent don’t go to the ground to work,” he pointed out.
On Batu Lintang’s candidate, Voon Lee Shan who was suspended last year for six months for speaking against the party leaders, Wong said he did not want to comment as the list of candidates has not been finalized yet.Another point agreed by the negotiation team today was the common manifesto. Wong said the draft was done by DAP and PKR and would be send to their coalition team for verifying and approval.