See Chee How
MIRI: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) is cautiously optimistic of retaining Miri and winning Baram parliamentary seats in the coming 14th General Election (GE14) to be held on May 9, this year.
State PKR vice chairman See Chee How, said the party is banking on the winds of change sweeping the country in gravitating voters to Pakatan Harapan (PH) which has inked its pledge of returning state rights, abolition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) and other issues in its election manifesto.
“It’s 50:50 chance of winning in Miri and Baram but achievable (target),” See, who is Batu Lintang assemblyman, said when met in Miri today.
He was in Miri to assist in the election preparation for PKR’s mission to defend the only seat won by the party in 2013 general election after gynecologist Dr Micheal Teo Yu Kheng beat Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP)’s Datuk Sebastian Ting Chew Yew by a 1,994-vote majority.
See said Dr Teo has hit the ground running in touching base with the electorate in Miri and the Opposition alliance stands a fighting chance of being returned due to the slew of unpopular issues affecting the people which Barisan Nasional (BN) failed to address.
Eyebrows were raised at a DAP function in Miri on April 7 when Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei, raised the possibility of either DAP’s state secretary Alan Ling or PKR Sarawak chairman Baru Bian may replace Dr Teo in contesting here despite the incumbent publicly declaring that he is seeking re-election at the same function.
Chong Chieng Jen, who is state PH chairman and state DAP chairman, had recently announced that it has also finalised the seats and candidates that will be contested by component parties – Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah).
In the coming election, state DAP will contest in nine seats whilst state PKR and state Amanah will contest in 16 seats and six seats respectively
See shook his head when asked if there were any last minute changes in candidates, including Miri.
The opposition alliance, he said, is at an advantage in facing this general election against the BN’s well-oiled machinery in a vast state, particularly in rural constituencies but the 20 seats target from Sarawak is achievable for its aim to form the government.
He was optimistic of support from Sarawakians to PH in its bid to form the next government and implement the pledges in its manifesto, saying GE14 offers an unprecedented opportunity for change in the country.
He argued that PH’s manifesto has an actionable plan of returning the state Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) rights, with a cabinet committee to be set up within 100 days to advice the government on the process on executive, legislative and physical devolution of powers.
“The whole framework should be set up within six months,” he said.