Leon (left) and Norina.
KUCHING: Often seen as being at loggerheads with each other, DAP Sri Aman branch and PKR Sri Aman branch have decided to call for a truce and unite for this 14th general election (GE14).
In a meeting at a restaurant in Sri Aman town on Wednesday evening, DAP Sri Aman branch led by its chairman Leon Jimat Donald openly endorsed the candidacy of Norina Umoi from PKR as the Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate in Sri Aman parliamentary constituency.
This marks an end to any bad blood between both parties since Leon and Norina had clashed in Simanggang, one of the six state seats where DAP and PKR had contested against each other in the 2016 state election.
At the meeting, it was resolved that a Pakatan Harapan Sri Aman Election Committee be formed, where the members of both DAP Sri Aman and PKR Sri Aman will come together to formulate strategy and coordinate their campaign.
Norina said this cooperation will further enhance their effort to spread the message of hope and change to every corner of Sri Aman constituency, enabling both parties to work as one unit and one strong force.
“Our cooperation also quashes any rumours of DAP not working together with PKR, with the issue of me and Leon not being able to work together as baseless,” she said, referring to their clash in the last state election.
That election saw Datuk Francis Harden Hollis from Barisan Nasional successfully defending Simanggang for the fifth successive term, after winning the seat by 1,388-vote majority in a four-cornered fight.
Harden polled 4,094 votes against the 2,706 managed by his closest challenger independent candidate Dato Ngu Piew Seng. Leon received 695 votes while Norina Utot from PKR 580 votes.
PKR strongman in Sri Aman, Nicholas Mujah who was appointed the P202 Pakatan Harapan director of operations also took the opportunity to quash rumours that he was against Norina’s nomination.
“There were some malicious rumours that I was against her candidacy as well, which, I am sure, was perpetrated by our opponents, but how is that even possible as I am Norina’s election director of operations?” said Mujah.
Meanwhile, Leon said both parties are committed and united in winning the seat.
“As we in PH add to the growing numbers of winnable seats, our goal of capturing Putrajaya will be even brighter. Let us in Sri Aman support Pakatan Harapan, We must save Malaysia,” said Leon, who is also DAP Sarawak vice chairman.
Sri Aman, an Iban majority constituency, is a stronghold of Barisan Nasional (BN). Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has recently announced that Datuk Masir Kujat will be re-nominated as BN candidate to defend the seat.
Masir, who was appointed as Deputy Home Minister in the last cabinet, had won the seat in 2008 and 2013 general elections.
In 2013, Masir won by a majority of 6,550 votes against closest challenger Nicholas Mujah of PKR, who was fielded at the last minute instead of Leon following last-minute negotiations between both parties.
Some political observers believe Masir or any other BN candidate from PRS will not have it easy this time following internal crisis within PRS.
It looks likely to be a three-cornered contest in Sri Aman since PBDS Baru president Cobbold John was cited in recent news reports to have expressed interest in contesting this seat.