Make way for DAP in Batu Lintang, ‘toothless’ S’wak PKR told

Analysts believe PKR should let DAP contest the Batu Lintang seat in the upcoming Sarawak state election, saying the latter party enjoys greater support from the Chinese-majority electorate there.

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s Dick Lembang Dugun said PKR’s state chapter was almost non-existent, whereas DAP remains an outspoken party in the Bornean state’s political landscape.

“PKR is toothless today in speaking on Sarawakian issues and rights,” he told FMT.

“I believe it would be the right decision for DAP to contest Batu Lintang. Sarawak DAP is seen as being more functional compared with PKR in today’s political environment in Sarawak.”

In the 2021 Sarawak polls, PKR contested 28 seats but failed to win a single one. Twenty-two of its candidates even lost their election deposits.

James Chin of the University of Tasmania said DAP has an advantage in Batu Lintang, thanks to its greater appeal among Chinese voters, who make up the majority in the constituency.

“Historically, DAP was successful in Batu Lintang, and Chinese voters, who comprise more than 80% of voters there, have shown they are more likely to vote for DAP rather than PKR,” he added.

Established in 1991, Batu Lintang used to be a stronghold of the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), a Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component.

DAP wrested the seat in 2006, marking the opposition’s first victory there, before making way for PKR’s See Chee How, who comfortably retained it in 2011.

See won the seat again for PKR in 2016, but was sacked by the party in 2020 for going against the leadership. In 2021, he managed to defend the seat on a Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) ticket, albeit with a very slim majority of 93 votes.

See secured 4,420 votes to SUPP’s Sih Hua Tong’s 4,327, while the PKR candidate, Cherishe Ng, only garnered 1,823 ballots.

See’s chances worse under SUPP

Amid speculation that See could be fielded by SUPP in the upcoming polls, Chin and Dugun both believe the three-term assemblyman’s chances could be worse as a GPS candidate.

Chin said voters in Batu Lintang have always been pro-opposition, citing the results of past state elections, including the 2021 polls which saw PSB—then an opposition party—emerge victorious despite a split in opposition votes.

In 2021, opposition votes were mostly split between PSB, PKR and Parti Bumi Kenyalang, which managed to secure 1,570 votes—a mere several hundred less than PKR.

“That shows how opposition-leaning voters in that seat are. So by joining the state government through SUPP, See has actually affected his chances,” said Chin.

Dugun said hardcore opposition supporters may show their unhappiness with See’s decision to join SUPP and contest as a GPS candidate, and may vote against him.

He said DAP must push the right narratives in its campaign to win over Chinese voters, adding that the party was more than capable of managing the issue.

“The Chinese tend to think that there must be a strong opposition in the state assembly to act as a check and balance. They know that the dominance of one coalition or party in government is unhealthy.”

Strong candidate will give DAP ‘very good’ chance

Acknowledging the advantage of See’s three-term incumbency, Chin said DAP would need to field a strong, prominent candidate to give itself the best chance of regaining Batu Lintang for Pakatan Harapan.

“If it puts up Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen or two-term Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, or even Chong’s aide Michael Kong, who has been around for quite long, then they stand a very good chance,” he said.

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