SIBU: The coming state election will be a crowded affair as people associated with Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) have formed an alliance called Calon Independent Alliance (CIA) to gear up for the election.
In a press conference this morning, former DAP member and Pujut State Assemblyman Fong Pau Teck announced that CIA targeted to field 42 candidates in both urban and rural constituencies.
Attending the press conference yesterday were CIA representatives from Miri, Kapit, Bintulu, Sibu and Kuching.
“CIA is made up of representatives of independent candidates. We are not a political party and therefore, there is no need for us to register. We now have more than a dozen of persons who have confirmed contesting in the coming state election,” said Fong.
He said they had two goals in their undertaking – to restore the self-determination of the people and to restore the position of Sarawak in Malaysia by reviewing the 18-point agreement when Sarawak partnered with others to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.
Fong welcomed others to join them, saying interested people should be those who had the same goal to achieve a breakthrough for Sarawak.
“CIA’s door is open. Opposition parties like DAP can join our alliance if they have the same goal.”
He said if their cooperation with DAP could be worked out, both could sign a memorandum so that they would not overlap in the constituencies they were contesting.
He suggested that they could help each other out during the election campaign.
Yeu Bang Keng of Kapit said the setting up of CIA was not to go against Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat.
He said their aim was to stay close with the people of Sarawak in their struggle.
“S4S is a voice of the people and CIA is an alliance that lets the people decide what they want in their self determination.”