SUPP and DAP lock horns in Stampin
Barisan fields SUPP president Sim against Sarawak DAP chairman Chong
KUCHING: The stage is set for a showdown in Stampin between Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian and state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen (pic).
Dr Sim was one of 14 new faces in the state Barisan Nasional line-up unveiled yesterday, a day after Chong announced that he was moving from his Bandar Kuching stronghold to Stampin.
Dr Sim, who will immediately resign as a senator, said he decided to contest in Stampin after a lengthy discussion with SUPP and the state Barisan.
“We want to make sure that we have the best candidates who can fight for a stronger Sarawak. This election is not just in Stampin but it is a fight to ensure that our rights under the Malaysia Agreement are returned.
“I am very appreciative of the different groups in the party which gave me advice and understanding because this was not an easy decision,” he told reporters after the Barisan candidate list was announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg here.
On the prospect of facing Chong, Dr Sim, who is state Local Govern- ment and Housing Minister, said voters could judge who was sincere and had made sacrifices for the people and state.
“Over the years, everyone can see how much I’ve done for Sarawak. Don’t fall for cheap publicity like in 2011 (state election), when (DAP) said not to vote for Dr Sim so that he could go back to the hospital. (Dr Sim started out as a medical doctor.)
“But you can see now how much I can do for healthcare. Recently when I realised that 45% of rural clinics in Sarawak had no doctors visiting them, I was in a position to discuss it with the Chief Minister and immediately we gave an allocation,” he said.
DAP won Stampin by 18,670 votes in GE13 but the seat is now considered a grey area after a redelineation exercise in 2015 saw Batu Lintang, a safe Opposition state seat, moved into Bandar Kuching.
Chong said he was prepared for a tough battle in Stampin.
“It doesn’t matter who I face. The important thing is to save the coun- try and give our children a chance to live in a better Malaysia,” he told a rally on Monday night.
Meanwhile, the state Barisan list includes 16 incumbents as well as six new faces from PBB, five from SUPP, two from Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and one from Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
Abang Johari said PBB would contest 14 of Sarawak’s 31 parliamentary seats, SUPP seven, PRS six and PDP four.
With the candidate list finalised, he said the state Barisan aimed to win 28 or 29 seats in GE14. Only parliamentary seats will be contested in Sarawak as the state election was held in 2016.
PRS president Tan Sri James Masing said the party was prepared for any challenge from dropped incumbents Datuk Joseph Entulu and Datuk William Nyallau, who were sacked from the party on Sunday, should they decide to contest against Barisan in Selangau and Lubok Antu respectively.
He said the duo’s expulsion was necessary after they went against the party’s decision and started campaigning despite not being nominated.
PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing thanked the top Barisan leaders for accepting the party’s nominated candidates despite Saratok incumbent Tan Sri William Mawan lobbying to be renominated.
The Saratok seat is traditionally allocated to PDP, previously known as Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP). Mawan won Saratok as SPDP president but left the party to join Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) in May 2014 before recently announcing that he is now a member of PBB.
Candidates from the state Barisan and DAP have now been finalised.
Sarawak PKR, which will contest 16 seats, is expected to announce its candidates today. Sarawak Amanah is also expected to announce its six candidates today.