Seat dispute may permanently destroy Sarawak DAP-PKR ties

Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen says the party cannot work with PKR if it goes back on its word on the earlier agreement reached.

KUCHING: The ongoing feud over unresolved seat allocations may permanently affect the relationship between Sarawak DAP and PKR.

State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, when asked today if the Pakatan Harapan pact here would be able to work after the May 7 election, indicated it might not be possible.

“If they can go against their own words even after signing an agreement, how can we work with them?”

Chong was referring to the agreement reached between leaders of both parties where they agreed to compromise over several disputed seats.

Although DAP had kept its end of the bargain by giving up several of its strong seats, PKR chief Baru Bian is still keeping his cards close to his chest by refusing to reveal five out of the 40 seats the party would be contesting in the state election.

Out of these five, Chong said he believed at least three would overlap those that would be contested by DAP.

“If a person is honorable and trustworthy, even a verbal agreement would have sufficed as they will stick to what they have pledged.

“But if they are not, then even with a 10-page agreement, they will find a loophole in it,” said Chong at a press conference he held earlier today.

He had also told FMT separately that whether or not the PH pact could work with each other after the state election remained to be seen.

Padungan DAP state assemblyman Wong King Wei, who will be defending his seat in Sarawak’s 11th state election, echoed the same sentiment.

He told FMT the very basis of a partnership or an alliance was trust and integrity. If the PKR fails to abide by the agreement, it would be a “big blow” to the partnership, he added.

“If they breach the agreement I don’t think we can call ourselves an alliance any more because to have one, we can’t be fighting with one another.”

PH’s component party, Parti Amanah Negara, will be contesting here for the first time, fielding candidates in 13 areas. DAP, on the other hand, will be competing for 30 seats and PKR 40.