Chong’s remarks on new seats draw more rebuke from Barisan Nasional

January 8, 2015

KUCHING: State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s comments on the Election Commission (EC) after the proposed 11 new state seats were put out on display continues to draw flak from Barisan Nasional (BN).

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Supreme Council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said he was very upset over the remark by Chong, who said EC might as well join BN.

Chong in a statement, said with such blatant disregard of the fundamental principle of fairness in the limitation exercise, the EC might as well apply to join as the 14th political party of the BN.

Abdul Karim pointed out that it was uncalled for Chong and DAP to insinuate that EC drew out the new state seats boundaries according to BN’s direction.

“If Chong can recall, the seat of Kota Sentosa since being carved out was won by Chong himself, it was the same EC who was entrusted to do the delineation then, and if EC were to ensure BN would win, Chong and DAP would not be sitting at DUN (State Legislative Assembly) now,” Abdul Karim said when contacted.

Abdul Karim, who is Assistant Youth Development Minister, stressed that the seats were new seats, and nobody could guarantee any party winning them.

“…so how could Chong be thinking that all the new seats were carved by EC for BN..that a malicious and uncalled for statement by Kota Sentosa elected representative,” the Asajaya assemblyman pointed out.

PBB Bengoh branch secretary Jeguk Ngamo, said more seats in rural areas would enable the elected representatives to have smaller area to cover, thus improve the government delivery system to the rural people.

“Please give due respect to rural voters, the urban dwellers enjoy everything in terms of basic facilities like street lightings, grass cutting, drain cleaning, new roads and many others, while in rural areas they have to wait for years to get a road tar-sealed or a bridge built,” Jeguk stressed.

He said while he agreed with Chong on the basic principle of one-person one-vote, the basic needs of fairness is that everyone must enjoy the same environment provided by the government in all areas.

Jeguk added DAP “should be thankful to EC” as the delineation would result smaller areas in rural areas thus it would be a ‘bonus’ for DAP’s Go Rural Programme.