PKR and DAP avoid head-on clashes this time

KUCHING: Unlike in 2016, Pakatan Harapan partners PKR and DAP will not face each other head-on in the Sarawak state election.

This comes after PKR cut the number of seats it is contesting from 47 to 27 and did not press claims on three overlapping seats.

However, there is no deal in place with Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), the other main Opposition contender, to prevent multi- cornered fights against the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition.

State PKR secretary Joshua Jabeng said there would be no clashes with DAP this time in the spirit of Pakatan.

“We are partners and we will not stab each other in the back,” he told reporters after announcing PKR’s candidates at the party headquarters here yesterday.

PKR was initially set to contest 47 seats, DAP 26 and Amanah nine in a Pakatan agreement signed on Jan 2. There are 82 seats in total.

There were overlapping claims with DAP in three seats – Kemena, Piasau and Senadin – but this has been resolved with PKR choosing not to field candidates there.

In the 2016 polls, PKR and DAP clashed in six seats after failing to agree on overlapping claims.

On the reduction in seats, state PKR election director Dominique Ng said it was a change in strategy to focus on winnable seats.

“In the past, we were trying to deny Barisan Nasional at that time any uncontested win, but now it seems there are a lot of other parties.

“So, we decided to reduce our seats because we need to be realistic in our expectations,” he said, adding that one or two more candidates could be announced at the last minute.

He also said there was no deal to work with PSB, noting that there were some seats such as Batu Lintang where PKR would be going up against the other Opposition party.

Meanwhile, Sarawak DAP will face PSB in Bawang Assan and Dudong after failing to secure a pact with the latter on the two seats.

State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen blamed PSB’s “questionable” sincerity for the failure.

“What is clear is that they want to be in the government, so they are not interested in cooperating with us,” he said when announcing Paul Ling Fong and Amy Lau Bik Yieng as DAP’s Dudong and Bawang Assan candidates respectively in Sibu yesterday.

Chong added that there was “no more chance” for any agreement with PSB as nomination day was only three days away on Monday.

As for PSB, its secretary-general George Lo said there would be no further negotiations with Pakatan on working together for the polls.

He also said PSB would contest about 70 of the 82 seats, adding that its full list of candidates could be announced today.

Sarawak goes to the polls on Dec 18, with nominations on Dec 6.