KUCHING: Sarawak DAP is expected to start its first round of negotiation with Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) President Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh for a united front tomorrow (April 26).
DAP Lanang MP, Alice Lau, who was also the party deputy chairperson was expected to lead the negotiation together with party treasurer Chiew Chin Sing and party secretary Alan Ling.
Lau said this was part of the preparation for the 15th General Election (GE15), which could be held any time after the Hari Raya or Hari Gawai celebrations and to prevent the opposition parties from splitting the opposition votes in Sarawak.
She said the talks will focus on issues such as the party’s ideologies and the candidates.
“We will see how far the talk can progress and if the outcome of the negotiation is successful, we may then rope in other opposition parties to talk to form the united front,” she said, Borneo Post reported.
Meanwhile, Sarawak PKR told Malay Mail that it was not involved in negotiations between its Pakatan Harapan (PH) partner DAP and PSB to form a united front in preparation for the coming GE15.
Its acting chairman Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh was in the dark over negotiations between the two parties.
“We have not received any invitation to join the discussion.”
“Maybe they want to form a new pact… since we are not invited, it should be purely between the two parties,” he said, adding that he does not know if the state PKR will be invited to participate in negotiations in future.
“If they really want to unite the opposition parties in Sarawak, then all the opposition parties should be invited to attend the negotiation to form a united front,” he said.
Abang Zulkfili said the state PKR will likely defend all 19 parliamentary seats that it contested in 2018 in the coming election.
“However, I cannot say that 19 seats are fixed to be contested by the state PKR, but maybe we will request more from Parti Amanah Negara,” he said referring to the third member of Sarawak PH.
