(From front fifth left) Chong and Yii are seen with the STPM top scorers and their parents.
KUCHING (Oct 19): The Democratic Action Party (DAP) has confirmed that not all incumbent MPs in Sarawak will be defending their seats in the upcoming polls.
Without revealing names, state DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen hinted that the party may drop reps if they have not performed during their term in office.
“As a candidate, the basic requirement is that you have to serve the people not only during the election period but before the election.
“By looking at those active on the ground serving the people, you can roughly know who are those candidates,” he told reporters here yesterday after handing over financial incentives to 45 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) high achievers.
He said this when skirting a question on whether he would be defending the Stampin parliamentary seat.
The other DAP parliamentarians in Sarawak are Dr Kelvin Yii (Bandar Kuching), Alice Lau (Lanang), Oscar Ling (Sibu), Wong Ling Biu (Sarikei), and Mordi Bimol (Mas Gading).
Chong said the finalised candidates will be announced in Sibu on Oct 22 and in Kuching on Oct 23.
He added all candidates had been notified of their selection before Parliament was dissolved.
According to him, DAP has no issue of potential candidates to select from in the constituencies.
In addition to the six seats, he said the party will also be fielding candidates in Serian and Bintulu.
“Previously, there was the Kapit seat but our grassroots members there felt that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has a better candidate and so we let them contest,” he said.
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) Sarawak chairman added the DAP’s working relationship with PH component parties PKR and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) is strong and seat negotiations have been settled.
He said PKR will be contesting in around 18 seats, while Amanah would stand in the remaining constituencies.
He reiterated that PH component parties have the freedom to negotiate with other Opposition parties on arrangements to ensure their candidates have the best chance of winning.
On the breakdown in cooperation with Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Chong stated the objective should have been to defeat Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and not to field candidates in constituencies with Opposition incumbents.
“The regret that we have with PSB is they insisted on contesting in Sibu parliamentary seat. Failing which they will contest in all the parliamentary seats held by DAP,” he said.