S'WAK POLLS | LIVE BLOG DAY 1 The battle for the Land of the Hornbills officially begins today, with nominations period kicking off at 9am.
Up for grabs are 82 state legislative assembly seats, including for 11 new constituencies carved out in last year's redelineation exercise.
Pakatan Harapan may be off to a messy start, after PKR called for seat re-negotiations at the 11th hour yesterday.
This is after news broke out that Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian may sign a letter allegedly issued by party deputy president Azmin Ali authorising PKR representatives to contest in Tasik Biru, Mambong, Simanggang, Bukit Semuja and Mulu.
Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen retaliated by saying they would contest in Batu Kitang should PKR field candidates in those five seats.
It will not be a walk in the park for BN either, with SUPP, UPP and SPDP and Teras expected to get into the ring against each other in Tasik Biru, Batu Kawah and Bawang Assan.
Parties have until 10am to submit their nominations. Sarawak goes to the polls on May 7.
Follow our LIVE BLOG as the Malaysiakini team in Sarawak brings you the news as it happens.
9.30am - Kuching: DAP retaliates against PKR by sending candidate Abdul Aziz Isa to contest in Batu Kitang, a seat earlier allocated to PKR.
This after PKR authorises five candidates to contest for seats where DAP candidates are set to do battle.
Batu Kitang is expected to see a multi-corner fight, featuring SUPP, PKR, DAP and possibly two independent candidates.
Voon Shiak Ni represents PKR while Lo Khere Chiang represents SUPP.
9.07am - Ba'kelalan - Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian confirms the party's prospective candidates in five contentious seats have received the authorisation letter from the party to contest.
"They are at their respective constituencies now, namely Mulu, Mambong, Simanggang, Ngemah and Murum," he tells Malaysiakini via telephone.
"Before 10am, we will call them to inform them whether to contest or not."
Baru, who is defending his seat in Be'kalan, however, does not want to say who signed the letter to authorise the candidates to contest the seats DAP will also contest.
Baru also refuses to comment on the possibility of DAP fielding its candidate in Batu Kitang to fight PKR candidate Voon Shiak Ni, in retaliation.
9.05am - Bawang Assan, Sibu: Beng Kor, an independent candidate, arrives at Dewan Suarah Sibu nomination centre with a handful of supporters.
This is the Kapit-born activist's first time contesting in an election, and he is running to push the 'Sarawak for Sarawakians' agenda.
"Sarawak for Sarawakians want to fight for the rights of Sarawak, whether we remain in Malaysia, or seceded. This is our right and it is the most important thing.
"This right to self-determination has been recognised by the United Nations and has been denied to us," he says.
Meanwhile, BN candidate Wong Soon Koh and DAP candidate Chiew Sung Ngie submits their nomination papers to the Election Commission officials.
9.00am - Kuching: Batu Kawah is expected to be a three-corner fight between SUPP, DAP and and independent candidate.
DAP candidate Christina Chew is accompanied by 50 supporters while SUPP president and candidate Dr Sim Kui Hian arrives with 300 supporters.
Independent candidate Liu Thian Leong is backed by 100 people.
8.50am - Bau: DAP and PKR representatives give each other the cold shoulder when they bump into one another near the Dewan Suarah Bau nomination centre for Tasik Biru and Serembu.
DAP is contesting Tasik Biru while PKR is contesting Serembu, but tensions are high after PKR yesterday insists to contest Tasik Biru.
DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang, who joins DAP's Tasik Biru candidate Mordi Bimol's team to march to the nomination centre bump into PKR candidate for Serembu Athina Sim's team, but there is hardly interaction and no handshakes between them.
8.45am - Bawang Assan, Sibu: About 50 DAP supporters walk towards Dewan Suarah Sibu with the party's Bawang Assan candidate Chiew Sung Ngie.
Chiew, 38, a businessman, tells reporters he expects a tough three-corner fight.
He is expected to go against BN's candidate Wong Soon Koh, an incumbent state minister and State Reform Party (Star)'s Wong Sing Wei.
About 50 BN supporters are gathering, while waiting for Soon Koh, along with United People's Party's mascot, the eagle named 'Oooh Ha'.
8.30am - Bukit Assek, Sibu: Around 30 DAP supporters are marching from Wong Ho Leng & Co Advocates, DAP's Bukit Assek candidate Irene Chang's law firm, to the nomination center.
Chang is the wife of late DAP state chief and former Bukit Assek assemblyperson Wong Ho Leng.
Accompanied by DAP's Sibu MP Oscar Ling, Chang, who is clad in a white shirt and black skirt, seems to be in good spirit as she marches with flag-waving party supporters.
Meanwhile, 200 SUPP supporters clad in blue shirts reading 'Barisan Nasional, established in 1973' are gathering in front of the nomination centre.
They are holding a mix of SUPP and BN flags.
SUPP is expected to field Chieng Buong Toon, their only candidate left in Sibu area, after other traditional seats has been occupied by United People's Party, its splinter party.
Accompanied by wife, Chieng flexes his biceps for a photo opportunity, to show he is in great form.
The weather is windy and gloomy, with rain expected soon.
8.15am - Pujut, Miri: Things are very peaceful in the heart of Miri town, where a four-cornered fight between a BN tycoon and three other candidates is likely to take place.
Election Commission officers are having a quick breakfast in the nomination hall before things get underway an hour from now.
A senior police officer chatting with the media says things are different in Sarawak compared to Peninsular Malaysia, and that there is rarely a commotion.
The Pujut seat, currently held by DAP, will be contested by incumbent assemblyperson Fong Poh Teck as an independent, DAP's Dr Ting Tiong Choon, BN direct candidate Hii King Chiong and PAS' Jofrie Jaraiee.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is expected to make an appearance here, accompanying Jofrie.
8.00am - Marudi: Pakatan Harapan allies DAP and PKR appear to be on a collision course in the Mulu state constituency.
In Marudi town where nominations for Mulu, Marudi, and Telang Usan are taking place, supporters for the Mulu DAP candidate-designate Paul Raja and his PKR counterpart Paul Baya have gathered outside their respective offices as they prepare to march off to the nomination centre.
Once both Pauls have registered as candidates by the 10am closing time, the stage would be set for a three-corner fight in Mulu, which was formed during last year's redelineation exercise.
[More to follow]
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.