DAP may rope in SWP — Pelawan rep

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Wong (right) fielding questions from The Borneo Post while his special assistant Law Hui Ung looks on.

Wong (right) fielding questions from The Borneo Post while his special assistant Law Hui Ung looks on.

SIBU: Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak may get Sarawak Workers’ Party (SWP) to be a partner to mount a serious challenge to Barisan Nasional (BN) this coming state election.

This was hinted by state DAP vice-chairman David Wong who said DAP could no longer work with PAS.

He, however, said their Pakatan Rakyat (PR) partner Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) was yet to declare its stand.

“There have been talks going on between DAP and SWP but there is nothing concrete coming out because we are still hoping PKR can join us rather than taking a neutral stand on matters associated with PAS.

“If PKR joins us, which we are hoping, I think Sarawakians in general will be happy.

“This SWP – if they want to join us – that has to be agreed by PKR as well.

“In fact, state DAP chairman (Chong Chieng Jen) has said that we are exploring all possibilities as long as they share the common vision of toppling BN.

“But this is a decision for the state committee (to make),” Wong, who is Pelawan assemblyman, told The Borneo Post.

In the last parliamentary election, SWP maintained that it was BN-friendly but vowed to fight PRS in all its six seats of Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Julau, Kanowit, Hulu Rajang and Selangau.

PRS retained all its six seats.

SWP president Larry Sng had mentioned that joining PR was on the cards, and it was only a matter of timing.

Meanwhile, Bernama reported DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng as saying that the decision of the PAS muktamar to sever ties with the DAP had ‘killed’ the coalition.

Wong believed that the formation of a new ‘pakatan’ might be possible as they hoped that Persatuan Ummah Sejahtera Malaysia (PasMa) while being retained as an NGO would set up a new multi-racial party.

“This will be a new platform without PAS.”

Thus, he said, DAP was not concerned about crossing swords with PAS in the coming state election.

“If they decide to field candidates in rural seats which we intend to contest, so be it.

“In Sarawak, they do not have any support. So, let’s wait for the next state election for Sarawakians to show them the door,” Wong said.

He further hinted that they might field more Bumiputera than Chinese candidates this state election.

He refuted claims that DAP was arrogant and a Chinese-based party.

“We have said time and again that we are a multi-racial party,” he stressed.

Like Chong, Wong was also confident of maintaining urban support.

Their challenge, he added, was to break through the rural or Bumiputera areas.

He hoped with DAP’s ‘Impian Sarawak’ projects, more rural folks would know that DAP is sincere in serving them.

He said they had carried out three such projects in Bawang Assan near here; namely a health camp, building of jetty and installing solar lighting.

In the 2011 state election, 55 seats were won by BN. PR on the other hand grabbed 15, with DAP winning the bulk with 12 and PKR three.