Chong Chieng Jen – File photo
KUCHING: Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak will focus on consolidating itself before taking on challenges in the next state election, which is due in July next year, said state PH chairman Chong Chieng Jen today.
The Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman said the state PH was awaiting the national Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) to determine its leadership before looking at fostering ties with the state Bersatu.
“At the national level, Bersatu leadership is yet to be determined. We will wait for the national level to determine its leadership, and then we will come to the state-level,” he told a telephone interview with The Borneo Post here.
Chong, who is Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, said it was premature to comment on whether PH Sarawak would work with other political parties in the coming state polls.
“For the moment, it’s still too early to say. In order to have another political party to join us, we must learn about the party’s plan for the country and state.”
He observed that a lot of political parties had talked about being local-based but they did not touch much on their plans and policies.
He added that the recent many party-hopping activities did not help much in determining the principles certain politicians had chosen to uphold.
“A lot of hopping here and there these days but I believe most voters still appreciate us, politicians who hold on to our principles, those who do not hop or jump when the opportunities arise.
“A lot of people still appreciate politicians who adhere to their principles,” he asserted.
Asked whether he had confidence that individuals who supported PH Sarawak would continue to do so in the next state election, Chong said: “I don’t want to make any guess on that. In politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies.”
He said that the state PH would focus on how to get past Covid-19 and the economic impact first when prompted for their plan for the 12th state election.
He went on to claim that the Sarawak government “was cash-strapped” despite the state having recorded a reserve at RM31 billion.
According to him, the aid packages which have been announced by the state government thus far do not really help the small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“The interest-free loans announced by the state government is not the normal loans but the special loans by Bank Negara Malaysia through commercial banks at a three per cent interest.
“A lot of SMEs are not getting it. Despite the packages announced by the state government, there is nothing much for the business sector especially the SMEs.
“As such, I believe the state government is cash-strapped, that they do not have sufficient fund at their disposal despite the RM31 billion state reserve,” added Chong.