KUCHING: Parti KeAdilan Rakyat (PKR) will not make any inroad into the six Bidayuh seats in the coming state election, said Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit.
MEET THE PRESS: Dawos (seated third left) at the press conference together with Frankie Heng (second right), Titus Chuo (second left) and Sr Flora Tingang (left).
He said this was based on the feedback he received from the ground as well as on the performance of the six assemblymen.
“I don’t believe PKR will have any impact in the six Bidayuh seats in this coming election. However, our six assemblymen should not take them lightly,” Dawos told thesundaypost after witnessing the handing over of a van to the Home of Peace at Jalan Landeh, Kota Padawan near here yesterday.
Dawos, who is also MP for Mambong, cautioned the Bidayuh community not to waste their votes on the opposition as it would tantamount to losing out in terms of development.
“Honestly, I don’t think PKR and the opposition can take over Sarawak government in the next state election. So it will be a waste of votes to support the opposition because the community still needs continuous development,” added Dawos, who is also a supreme council member of PBB.
He also pointed out that the opposition, especially PKR, would not be able to do much even if they win the six Bidayuh seats but fail to take over the government.
Thus, he said, it could backfire on the community should that happen.
“In the instance that PKR wins the six Bidayuh seats but fails to take over the state government which I doubt very much they could do, the community will suffer a backlash as it is a small and rural-based community,” said Dawos.
Speculations have been rife that PKR will field six candidates in the six Bidayuh areas, namely Tebedu, Kedup, Tarat, Bengoh, Tasik Biru and Opar.
PKR supremo Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently was quoted as saying that the party would like to make Serian, the heartland of the Bidayuhs, to be their fortress to penetrate the Bidayuh areas.
Meanwhile, Dawos believed that the six Bidayuh assemblymen would win their respective seats as they have been serving the people with commitment and dedication.
“Even if there are new faces, it would only strengthen the community’s support for the Barisan Nasional,” said Dawos.