Lawyer going for a three-cornered Pelawan seat fight

Lau (centre) saying she is going after Pelawan seat. At her left is Moh and Wong on her right.

SIBU: A prominent lawyer, Priscilla Lau, is joining the fray for the Pelawan seat to make it a hot three-cornered fight.

Barisan Nasional direct candidate from UPP Datuk Janet Lau and incumbent David Wong of DAP had earlier thought that they would only be competing against each other until Priscilla made her surprise announcement at a press conference yesterday.

“I am the only candidate among the three who will fight for the right of Sarawakians. If I am elected, I will speak in the State Legislative assembly on the rights of the state as laid out in the 1963 Malaysia Agreement. I want to fight for the future of our children’s children,” she said.

Priscilla, 47, who is married and has two boys, said she chose Pelawan as it is the place where she lives.

The first-timer is contesting under the State Reform Party (Star) ticket.

Indicating that she is serious as a candidate, she also wanted voters in the area to only vote for her if they wanted her to fight for the right of the state under the MA 1963.

“Don’t vote for me because we are friends. It would be much better for you to treat me to a cup of coffee instead. Vote for me as I am the best candidate,” she said.

Putting herself in the shoes of a voter, she said before writing an ‘X’ on her ballot paper, she would first ask herself, “Can I trust this person (to fight) for my children’s children?”

Priscilla, who was the founder and builder of the first international school here, Woodland International School, said many people had questioned her intentions.

“A lot of people asked why I want to do this because I am now very relaxed and have a nice lifestyle,” she said.

She highlighted that after listening to the party candidates for Bukit Assek and Bawang Assan, Moh Hiong King and Wong Eng Wei respectively two months ago, she decided to go for it.

Asked about her chances of winning the election, she replied, “As this is my first time, I can’t predict the outcome. Financially, I am nothing but I will give my all if voted for the seat.”

On her background, she said at age 15, she went to the United Kingdom for 10 years to do her secondary education before reading law there.

After that, she worked for five years in Australia before coming back to her hometown.

She was also a personal lawyer to a Barisan Nasional MP from 2006 to 2008.