DAP to contest Batu Kitang if PKR renege on agreement

Chong showing reporters the seat allocation agreement reached between PKR and DAP.

KUCHING: Sarawak DAP yesterday issued an ultimatum to its ally PKR—honour the agreement on seat allocation reached by national leaders of both parties or the DAP may contest Batu Kitang.

Its chairman, Chong Chieng Jen, said a written agreement was signed between PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on April 7.

Under the agreement, both parties had in principle agreed that PKR would be contesting in Batu Kitang, Marudi, Machan, Layar and Belaga while DAP would be contesting in Senadin, Mulu, Tasik Biru, Simanggang, Mambong, Bukit Semuja, Ngemah and Murum.

“The (copy) of the agreement signed by Azmin is kept by DAP while the one signed by Lim Guan Eng is kept by PKR,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

Despite the agreement, Chong said he last heard PKR Sarawak chairman Baru Bian intended to issue his own ‘watikah’ (letter of authorisation) on the party’s behalf.

Chong said if he was not mistaken, only PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was authorised to issue such a letter.

“My request is to stick to the agreement. I’m not interested in what happened internally, but I think Azmin is not a nobody. He is a deputy president. He agreed and signed (the agreement).”

Chong said both he and Baru also met each other here on Thursday to discuss the overlapping seats, but nothing came out of it.

He claimed out of the five overlapping seats mentioned, at least three were DAP seats.

In pointing out that the DAP very much wanted to stick to the agreement reached, Chong said a party without credibility and could hold on to an agreement it had entered into would not be able gain the trust of the people.

When reporters pointed out that PKR had never mentioned they would not honour the agreement, Chong said, “Now that after the agreement had been signed, they claimed there are still overlapping seats. That itself is an intention to renege the agreement.”

He said before the agreement, both parties, at PKR’s request, had agreed that a survey be conducted in Tasik Biru, Batu Kitang, Mambong, Bukit Semuja, Simanggang and Senadin.

“Except for a tie in Mambong, the other areas were all overwhelmingly in our (DAP) favour, not only among Chinese voters but also Dayak voters. Yet, we agreed to give up Batu Kitang so that both parties can progress…they can contest in more urban seats and we contest in more rural areas.”

When asked whether both DAP and PKR could still work together after the state polls, Chong said it would be quite difficult if somebody could turn around after signing something in black and white.

 

 

 

 

 

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