Politics

Sarawak DAP denies refusing to negotiate with PKR over seat allocation

KUCHING: Sarawak DAP has denied claims that it had refused to negotiate over election seat allocations with PKR in a transparent manner, for the upcoming 12th Sarawak election.

Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said three Pakatan Harapan components DAP, PKR and Amanah had earlier signed an agreement on seat allocations on Feb 1.

He said there were many rounds of negotiations with not only the then Sarawak PKR chairman Larry Sng but together with a few other PKR state committee members.

Chong said PKR deputy chairman Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh and secretary Joshua Jabeng were regular attendees to the negotiations.

"Although the agreement was signed by Sng, it was on behalf of the Sarawak PKR state committee as a whole. Besides, many others were also present," he said.

"Just because Sng has left the party, it doesn't mean the previous decision or agreement is null and void and has to be revisited, as agreements do not work that way," he explained.

Chong, who is a practicing lawyer, said the change of one office bearer did not affect the validity of the agreement.

He said DAP had also given up some seats in order to reach a consensus before the three parties agreed and signed the agreement.

According to the agreement, Sarawak PH will be contesting in all 82 seats, with DAP in 26 seats, PKR in 47 and nine for Amanah.

Therefore, Chong appealed to PKR to focus on the 47 seats that it would be contesting under the agreement and win as many as possible.

"Don't waste valuable time and energy grabbing seats and lose the mutual goal to win the war against Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)."

Yesterday, Sarawak PKR leadership council had accused DAP of refusing to negotiate in an "open and transparent" manner over certain seats, and for not responding to requests to hold discussions, particularly for Kemena and the Senadin and Piasau state seats under the Miri parliamentary constituency.

According to the statement, Kemena was originally a PKR seat which was "loaned" to DAP for the 2016 state polls, which DAP eventually lost and that a more suitable Dayak candidate for the seat had since been identified.

In the last Sarawak state election in 2016, the two parties had overlapped in six seats, namely Mulu, Mambong, Murum, Simanggang, Ngemah and Bukit Kitang.

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