1 Pakatan Rakyat YB for every one of Sarawak 71 DUN to overwhelm Sarawak Barisan

Federal PKR reps to 'oversee' assault on state seats

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:09

By Joseph Tawie

KUCHING: In order to ensure maximum impact on the coming state election, the Sarawak PKR has decided to assign one elected representative from the peninsula to oversee each of the state constituencies contested by the party.

“These YBs from the peninsula will adopt each constituency that we are contesting.

“They will assist us in giving ‘ceramah’ as well as helping us to raise funds for the state election. We are a poor party and in need of financial assistance,” said state chairman Baru Bian last night.

He said that PKR is expected to contest in more than 40 constituencies; however the final number of seats would be subject to the approval of Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat Council which was formed recently.

The council comprising PKR, DAP, Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and PAS is discussing the allocation of seats.

“There are about six seats that need to be finalised with DAP,” he said.

Bian said all PKR's 29 divisions in the state had formed their respective election committees and have named their polling and counting agents.

“These committees are crucial to our election preparations,” he said, and wanted all the divisions to submit their reports to the headquarters.

These reports will be studied by a recently formed state political bureau which is made up of bureau heads, he added.

Bian also said PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to visit Limbang and Lawas from Aug 31, while party supreme council member and FT chief Zaid Ibrahim is to visit Kuching on Aug 22.

“They are coming here to assess the political situation in the state,” he said.

Sarawak DAP eyes 20 seats

In the meantime, Sarawak DAP has expressed its interest to contest in 20 seats including Iban majority seats.

However, its chairman Wong Ho Leng was quick to say that the majority of the seats that the party would contest would be in the Chinese constituencies.

The Sarawak Pakatan Council is still discussing the seat allocation, he said, pointing out that the choice of candidate would be based on the principle that whichever party has a better chance of winning should stand in order to give the BN a run for their money.

“This is to ensure one to one fight,” he added.