SIBU: DAP announced its remaining 10 candidates for the coming state election here yesterday.
Five of its 15 candidates were unveiled Saturday among the total four are women – the most number fielded by DAP in the state elections.
The 10 are Dr Wong Hua Seh for Repok, Ting Tze Fui (Meradong), Wong Ho Leng (Bukit Assek), Yap Hoi Liong (Dudong), Alice Lau Kiong Yieng (Bawang Assan), David Wong Kee Woan (Pelawan), Chiew Chiu Sing (Kidurong), Ling Sie Kiong (Piasau), Fong Pau Teck (Pujut) and Leong Kwang Yaw (Bukit Kota).
The five candidates announced in Kuching last Saturday are Wong King Wei (Padungan), Violet Yong Wui Wui (Pending), Chong Chieng Jen (Kota Sentosa), Chiew Wang See (Batu Kawa) and Leon Jimat Donald (Sri Aman).
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng made the announcement at a hotel here yesterday as dozens of supporters, dressed in red, crowded the room.
Lim, who is Penang Chief Minister, said they were fielding a mixture of young and experienced candidates, and that seven of the 12 candidates who were fielded in the 2006 state election were retained.
“We offer the people the leadership of the future,” he told a press conference.
Asked why SNAP’s logo had been omitted from the Pakatan Rakyat banner, state DAP chairman Richard Wong Ho Leng replied that this was because the seat negotiation between PKR and SNAP were still going on.
“PKR will open the door to SNAP until tomorrow (today), hence we are unable to put the logo of SNAP. Besides, SNAP says they are in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) so we hope that they can complete the negotiation with PKR tomorrow.
“As far as SNAP and DAP are concerned, there are no overlapping of seats.”
Wong recalled that he had signed the authorisation letter on behalf of the party in 2006. They contested in 12 seats and won six.
“This time, we made a change and asked the secretary-general to sign, hoping to win all the 15 seats.”
He said the average age of their candidates had dropped to 39-year-old from 40-year-old in the 2006 state election.
Wong said in 2006 they fielded three women candidates and two of them won.
“They have been retained and this year we will field four women candidates, the most number ever in the history of Sarawak DAP,” he said.
This, he said, proved that the DAP treats the opposite sex with fairness.