S'WAK POLLS | LIVE BLOG DAY 3 The 11th Sarawak state elections enters its third of the 12-day battle.
The feud between PKR and DAP over six overlapping seats is still unresolved. Both opposition parties are holding press conferences at the same time but at different locations in Kuching today.
The DAP’s meet-the-press event is for the launch of its campaign manifesto.
Also launching its manifesto today is BN’s SUPP. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will also be making the rounds in Kuching.
Follow our LIVE BLOG as the Malaysiakini team in Sarawak brings you the news as it happens.
11:05am Third Mile, Kuching - DAP candidate Abdul Aziz Isa is accompanied by party veteran Lim Kit Siang around the Third Mile wet market.
Market sellers and fish mongers appear familiar with Abdul Aziz, but engage in full-on conversations with Lim, complaining about rising costs.
Some vendors took the chance to criticise the Padawan municipal councilors for not showing up and resolving issues like blocked drainage and broken light fixtures.
10.10am - Batu Kawah, Kuching: Many local voters get confused on which state seats they are supposed to vote after the redelineation exercise.
"Please help me to check where am I to vote," says a shopkeeper who bumps into Batu Kawah incumbent Christina Chiew, who is having a walkabout at the Kuching City Mall Commercial Centre today.
Chiew (photo) urges the voters to check with DAP operation room or the election commission website.
"It will be chaotic on the polling day, so far many people have asked where should they vote."
Batu Kawah, together with Kota Sentosa, gave away their portion to form the new seat of Batu Kitang in the latest redelineation exercise.
Chiew is facing SUPP president Dr Sim Kui Hian and independent Liu Thian Leong in the quest of defending Batu Kawah, a marginal seat held by DAP.
DAP managed to capture Batu Kawah with razor thin 543-majority in the last state election.
10.00am - Long Lama, Baram: Seehua Daily reports that residents at a longhouse here have decided to split the building in two, citing their political differences.
The two rival groups are reported to be supporters of one candidate that was chosen to contest in this election, against supporters of another potential candidate that was ultimately not chosen to contest.
“They can’t swallow their pride and ultimately decided to break the longhouse in two and go their separate paths, and also avoid further conflict,” the daily reports, adding that such occurrence has happened in Baram before.
Long Lama is part of the Telang Usan state constituency, where analysis of the 2013 general election data shows that BN is about 704 votes behind PKR – not accounting for advance and postal voting.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is expected to make an appearance in Long Lama itself on the coming Friday to help drum up support, while Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is slated to do the same elsewhere in Telang Usan on the following day.
The SPDP-BN incumbent Dennis Ngau is facing PKR’s veteran anti-Baram dam campaigner Roland Engan in a straight fight in the rural constituency.
9.15am - Kuching: The state police have identified Batu Kawah, Bawang Assan, Pakan, Tasik Biru and Tanjung Batu as five of the 20 hot seats in the May 7 state poll.
Extra personnel will be stationed at these constituencies, said Sarawak Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department deputy head ACP Mohd Haris Daud, according to Borneo Post.
The cops will pay more attention to both security and safety in the identified hot seats, he said.
A total 29 ceramah permit applications were received by the police on Monday, with 27 ceramah subsequently held, he added.
Mohd Haris stressed that the police will not reject any application so long as it fulfils all the necessary requirements.
8.30am - Miri: BN's candidate for the Pujut seat Hii King Chiong had a friendly run-in with the DAP trio gunning for Miri's three urban seats during a walkabout here today.
The four met at a food court near the Krokop 10 market, where both sides were doing meet and greets.
Both Hii and the DAP trio - Dr Bob Baru Langub (Senadin) 9, Dr Ting Tiong Choon (Pujut), and Alan Ting (Piasau) - receive friendly responses from traders and patrons at the market and surrounding shops.
However, the lone BN man appears to be slightly more popular than the trio, with more people walking up to him to air their grouses – on roads, drains and even the location of fans in the market. -Mkini
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