No squabbles in PR – DAP state chief

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KUCHING: State Pakatan Rakyat (PR) said it will finalise its seat negotiation within the next two weeks while admitting that 10 per cent of the 71 seats still have overlapping claims.

Democratic Action Party (DAP) state chairman Wong Ho Leng yesterday pledged that the negotiation would be concluded soon, probably at about the same time as the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).

“There is no squabble or bickering within PR parties as claimed by Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders, particularly Jabu (deputy chief minister cum Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu deputy president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu).

“We, the DAP, PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat), SNAP (Sarawak National Party) and PAS (Parti Islam SeMalaysia) are all ready for the bell to ring for the state election,” he told a news conference after a meeting at the DAP Sarawak headquarters here.

Wong, who is Sibu MP and Bukit Assek assemblyman, stressed that the seat negotiation must go well as PR was determined to see one-to-one fights for all state constituencies.

On PR’s chances in the election, he said: “Even James Masing (Parti Rakyat Sarawak president Dato Sri Dr James Masing) and a few others said that we are a totally different opposition and a lot stronger than before.

“They said we are more organised and have the resources; more organised, yes but we do not admit having the resources… We do not use public fund and compared to BN, we are still very poor.”

He added that it was “mischievous for BN leaders to say that state PR is funded by Selangor or West Malaysia.”

SNAP secretary-general Edmund Stanley Jugol denied news reports that the party would pull out from PR if it failed to claim 28 seats.

“We target 28 seats but among the 28, some are claimed by PKR, too. I don’t know what the seats are because I have not seen their list and they don’t know ours.

“It (talks of pulling out from PR) is more of a response to the blow, just a reaction. In fact, I do not know how the press got the idea,” said Stanley.

He was quick to add: “We must have full co-operation among us and I see no problem in us working together.”

State PKR vice chief Nicholas Bawin concurred with Stanley, pointing out that the four PR component parties would work towards an amicable solution.

“Unified forces will be vital for PR. People from the ground expect big changes and this can happen if PR works very hard and in unity in the coming election,” he said.

PAS state commissioner Adam Alid disclosed that the party wanted to claim six seats, namely Beting Maro, Sebuyau, Sadong Jaya, Tupong, Senadin and Jepak.

“The negotiation is still on as we look at a higher chance of winning,” he said.

It was learned that two of the six seats overlap with PKR’s (Tupong) and DAP’s (Senadin) claims.