Flags strung across the SUPP Dudong branch office in November. The party was disappointed when Progressive Democractic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing was announced as the GPS candidate.
SIBU (Dec 16): Like the mighty Rajang River, politics in the central region of Sarawak is bristling with energy and is not without turbulence or the occasional logjam.
The stage is set for a fiery contest in this 12th Sarawak Election as contenders battle for a seat to represent the people in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).
Multi-cornered fights are now the order of the day with only four straight fights in the 82 constituencies up for grabs.
While this may be so, the showdown in rural areas will likely come down to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).
In the urban seats, however, the battle will be among GPS, PSB and the Democratic Action Party (DAP).
To add to the excitement, a social media influencer – who claims to have some one million followers – will debut in this state polls.
If that is not exciting enough, a political heavyweight finds himself entangled in no-man’s land.
Here’s our pick for the five hot seats in central Sarawak:
Dudong
(From left) Wong Hie Ping, Dr Jane Lau, Fadhill Mohamad Isa, Julius Enchana, Paul Ling, Josephine Lau Kiew Peng, Tiong King Sing and Engga Unchat posing for the camera outside the nomination centre in SRDC library, Sibujaya.
This is a mixed constituency with 35,154 voters, comprising 52 per cent Chinese and 48 per cent Bumiputera.
It was previously represented by four-term Lanang MP, Datuk Tiong Thai King, who won the seat as a Barisan Nasional direct candidate in the 2016 polls and is not defending the seat.
This election, the seat has the distinction of having the most number of candidates in the state polls – eight to be exact.
They are GPS candidate Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, PSB’s Wong Hie Ping, Josephine Lau Kiew Peng from Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party’s (Aspirasi), Dr Jane Lau Sing Yee from Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), Julius Enchana from Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB), Paul Ling (DAP) and two independents – Fadhill Mohamad Isa, and Engga Unchat.
Looking at past elections, Dudong has never been regarded as a stronghold of any party from either side of the political divide. This is because the pendulum has swung back and forth across the political divide, making its voters hard to read.
That aside, it is uncertain if Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) supporters will rally behind the political heavyweight, Tiong, since the seat was traditionally contested by their party and they already had a candidate primed for the race, Wong Ching Yong.
It is undeniable that Tiong, who is Bintulu MP, has an impressive track record. But SUPP has a strong support base in Dudong that could be the deciding factor on whether GPS can secure the seat.
Krian
Ali Biju and Friday (right) during a press conference after campaigning at Rumah Panjang Munggu Ubah. — Bernama photo
Krian has supplied much of the drama this election. Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s vice chairman Datuk Ali Biju went against the party leadership’s wishes and joined the fray as an independent candidate only to announce that he was pulling out about a week before polling.
Pledging support for GPS candidate Friday Belik, the Saratok MP and Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources now campaigns against himself to protect the relationship between GPS and Perikatan Nasional.
However, Ali, who won the seat on the PKR ticket in 2016, may still win the race as his name will still be on the ballot paper. The Election Commission had explained that the deadline for candidates to withdraw was at 10am on nomination day.
Even with Ali now backing Friday, Krian is still a shaky seat for GPS and there is talk that PSB’s Musa Dinggat could end up benefiting from the drama in the seat.
Joining the race for Krian is PBK’s Danny Kuan.
Bawang Assan
(From left) Robert Lau Hui Yew, Michelle Ling, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Amy Lau, and Ricky Enteri on nomination day.
Many regard Bawang Assan as the stronghold of incumbent Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh but can the PSB president retain the seat for the seventh time?
Soon Koh held the seat for six consecutive terms since 1991 as a BN candidate. This time, he is contesting under a new platform and as opposition leader in the dissolved DUN.
Will the people continue to accept him even as a member of the opposition party, or does it strengthen his position?
Soon Koh is confident that he will retain the seat but GPS will not go down without a fight. PSB is widely seen as an emerging local opposition force and with Soon Koh’s knowledge and experience as a former member of the state cabinet, the party is not to be taken lightly.
Soon Koh is up against GPS’ Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew, DAP’s Amy Lau Bik Yieng, PBK’s Michelle Ling Shyan Mih and independent Ricky Enteri.
With a five-cornered fight, the split votes could be to anyone’s advantage.
Pelawan
(From left) Dr Low Chong Nguan, Janet Loh, Michael Tiang, David Wong, and Jamie Tiew after their candidacy was announced.
The seat will see a five-cornered fight between DAP incumbent David Wong Kee Woan, GPS’ Michael Tiang Ming Tee, PSB’ Dr Low Chong Nguan, PBK’s Jamie Tiew and Aspirasi Janet Loh.
The predominantly urban Chinese seat is touted as a DAP stronghold in the past two elections when David won the seat with a majority of 6,391 in the 2011 election and the 2016 election with a 4,314-vote majority against BN direct candidate Datuk Janet Lau.
This time round, the outcome could be different as there is talk that there is no clear favourite in the race for the seat.
Tanjong Batu
The candidates for Tanjong Batu (from left) Nicholas Tang Eng Hui, Johnny Pang, Wong Hau Ming, Andy Yek Hock Siang , Tony Chiew Chan Yew and Chieng Lea Phing after their nomination at Wisma Bintulu.
The urban constituency in Bintulu has been represented for four terms by DAP’s Chiew Chin Sing, who has now taken a backseat to give way to his son, Tony Chiew Chan Yew, 35, to test his mettle.
Chiew has built a strong base of support and understanding with the constituents winning the seat in every state election since 2001 when it was under Kidurong before being split in 2016 into Samalaju and Tanjong Batu.
However, with his absence this election will make the polls even more exciting as it could go either way with GPS seeing an opening for it to wrest the seat from DAP as Bintulu plays a crucial role in the state’s expanding economy.
The coalition has entrusted SUPP’s Johnny Pang to win the seat in a five-cornered fight, which also sees veteran politician Nicholas Tang Eng Hui throwing his hat into the ring as a PSB candidate.
The others vying for the seat are PBK’s Andy Yek Hock Siang, Aspirasi’s Chieng Lea Phing and independent candidate, Wong Hau Ming.
Can Tony fill his dad’s shoes?
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