KUCHING – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, stressed that it is too early to discuss seat allocations for the upcoming Sarawak state election, which is still some time away.
He said media reports about political parties or factions attempting to “reserve” seats have sparked unnecessary debate and speculation among the public.
“I want to emphasize that the key focus should be whether the candidates are accepted by voters and are winnable. Therefore, I hope that political leaders, as well as conventional and social media, refrain from discussing seat ‘battles’ extensively before the Sarawak election even takes place, as this could undermine the collective spirit of GPS’ ‘Sarawak First’ principle,” he said.
According to Tiong, the issue of which party will contest in which constituency will be determined in due time, based on voter acceptance, quality of service, and chances of winning.
“When the time is right, the decision will become clear. Therefore, repeated discussions about seat allocations will only unsettle the public, make us lose focus, and be unfair to potential candidates who are genuinely serving the people. Unnecessary discussions will divert attention from their long-standing contributions, which will go unnoticed,” he added.
He also cited the statement by Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Vice-President, Dato’ Henry Jinep, who emphasized the importance of upholding the spirit of GPS and ‘Sarawakian First.’ PDP, Tiong said, is a party committed to serving the people and will leave the decision on contesting in elections to the people and the top leadership of GPS.
“I also remind the party’s Senior Vice-President, Dato’ Sri Wong Soon Koh, and Vice-President, Dr. Johnical Rayong Ngipa, not to lose focus due to rumors but to concentrate on their duty of serving the people. The rest will be determined in due course!” he said.
According to Tiong, with the progress of Sarawak society and increased public awareness, seat allocation can no longer be viewed with outdated thinking.
“Who can lead Sarawak towards progress, reform, and prosperity? Who genuinely serves the people of Sarawak? The people are observing and will make their own judgments. Therefore, working hard quietly is the key to securing a place in the upcoming Sarawak election,” he said.
Tiong emphasized that early discussions about seat allocations are futile and do not benefit the efforts to serve the people. -MalayaDailyToday
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