Where will the ‘Lim Guan Eng of Sarawak’ stand ? - Audie61′s Weblog

In Semenanjung Malaysia, they have Lim Guan Eng, in Sarawak, we have Chong Chieng Jen.
Like the Lims dominate the DAP in the west, the Chong family wields great influence over the state DAP in Sarawak. They may even be nursing the confidence that Chieng Jen is now unbeatable. Maybe even a future Chief Minister of Sarawak. It has happened in Penang with Lim Guan Eng, hasn’t it?
In politics, perception is more powerful than reality. They believe they will win in the long run.
So far, things have been going Chieng Jen’s way. The second term MP for Bandar Kuching rode the waves of discontent against SUPP in the state election of 2006, narrowly beating Alfred Yap Chin Loi and winning the new seat of Kota Sentosa.

We do not know how Alfred Yap felt after his loss but we can guess. He had of course been asked to give up his relatively safe Batu Kawah seat then and be the knight in shining armor riding into Kota Sentosa.
But if you believe the whispers on the ground, Yap has been quietly campaigning since the day he lost.  The word is that Yap will love and relish the chance to win his SUPP party’ nomination. He must be itching for a second round in Kota Sentosa.
If Yap does get nominated for a second time in Kota Sentosa, will he get the chance to meet Chong again?
For Chong, he has already proven his point when he fell Assistant Minister Yap in Kota Sentosa. He has bigger fishes to fry. The DAP has always been proud that their leaders (for example Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng) can parachute anywhere into Chinese majority areas and win. The elder Lim has proven it many times by winning in Melaka, Perak and Penang.

Will Chong defend his Kota Sentosa seat next time round?

Or will he go off and slay a new dragon somewhere else. Let his lieutenant fight Kota Sentosa? If the DAP can still tap the Chinese voters’ anger, Chong will be a hero and prove his worth by charging into the enemy’s stronghold. He will be able to hold his head high among his colleagues in Semenanjung Malaysia if he gains another state seat elsewhere.

But where?

If Chong chooses to fight another seat, one likely and logical place is the neighboring seat of Batu Kawah. He has been known to be making the rounds there.
And shhhhh,  the SUPP Batu Kawah hacks are scared shit about the prospect of a “Chong vs Tan Joo Phoi” fight. They would be, wouldn’t they? At the moment, See Chee How of PKR is claiming the chance to fight Batu Kawah. But if Chong drops in, the calculus will be much different.
So, will Chong leave Kota Sentosa for Batu Kawah?  Will he prove his worth and live up to the nickname they have given him: “Idol of the Chinese rural youth”
Don’t forget, you heard about this first from the Tiger. Grrrr