KUCHING: Several candidates who are in a fix with fellow members being unhappy over their nominations, are trying their best to soothe ruffled feathers.
Among them are Datuk Wee Hong Seng, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate in Padungan, who had to plead with disgruntled members of his Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) to bury the hatchet, and PKR’s 11th hour candidate in Satok, Datuk Nor Irwan Ahmat.
In a video uploaded on Facebook, Wee, who is Kuching South’s Mayor, appealed to the Kuching SUPP branch to set aside its feud and focus on defeating a “common enemy” in Padungan – the DAP and its state chairman Chong Chien Jen.
Kuching SUPP members had expressed disappointment over Wee’s candidacy, claiming that he had not been endorsed by the branch.
This led branch chairman Datuk Lily Yong to announce that the SUPP had dissolved its election machinery in Padungan as a sign of protest.
“I fully understand her disappointment and frustration, and respect her views. When there is conflict, let us prioritise camaraderie above all else.
“I appeal to Datuk Lily, not only in my capacity as the candidate for Padungan but also as a personal friend, to resolve our differences, misunderstandings and disagreements as a family, under the umbrella of GPS and SUPP – in the name of collective responsibility.
“We face DAP and Chong, whom we all agreed is an unworthy candidate of the Padungan seat,” he said in the video.
“I humbly ask for help and assistance from SUPP and GPS in order to win back the Padungan seat, which has been held by DAP and PKR for many years,” Wee said.
Padungan will see a four-cornered fight involving Wee, Chong, Lina Soo of the Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party and Raymond Thong of Parti Bumi Kenyalang.
In 2006, the seat was won by PKR’s Dominique Ng, while in 2011 and 2016, DAP’s Wong King Wei was announced the victor.
Wong, however, quit DAP last year and triggered Chong’s decision to move from Kota Sentosa to contest in Padungan.
Meanwhile, Nor Irwan said he did not wish to dwell on the controversy involving his candidacy, which was decided by the party leadership.
“The candidate that was initially named for Satok is not happy with the last-minute change,” Nor Irwan said.
“But it happens. It’s a leadership decision and we abide by it,” he added.
“The issue of sabotage does not arise. With polling just days away, our campaign in Satok has been moving smoothly,” Nor Irwan said when met at the Petra Jaya PKR office.
Petra Jaya Wanita PKR chief Nor Dahlia Esapian Eyaw was the initial candidate for Satok.
Nor Irwan contested the Petra Jaya parliamentary seat in GE14 and was defeated by Datuk Seri Fadilah Yusof in a three-cornered fight, losing by 15,017 votes.