Oscar Ling: Voters can expect fresh candidates from DAP in coming state polls

SIBU (March 1): The Democratic Action Party (DAP) is expected to field many new faces in the coming state election, said DAP Sarawak vice chairman Oscar Ling.

Ling, who is also Sibu MP, said the party has been grooming potential candidates.

“You’re going to see a lot of new faces in the coming state election.

“So, I hope voters will be prepared to see a lot of new faces from DAP in the coming state election,” he told reporters during the Lunar New Year celebration at the Rejang Park commercial centre here on Saturday night.

The three-day celebration rolled out by Ling’s service centre, began on Friday.

When asked whether DAP would also contest the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)-held seats of Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Bukit Assek and Dudong, he replied in affirmative.

“Yes, at the moment, our planning is still to contest in these seats. Even though we (DAP) are together (with GPS) in the federal government, in Sarawak, we are part of the opposition,” he said.

Pressed on whether potential candidates had been identified for the four seats here, Ling said DAP was making the necessary preparations.

“We are preparing someone (for those seats),” he said without elaborating.

He was, however, coy on the possibility of former Pelawan assemblyman David Wong making a comeback to contest in the constituency.

“That one — leave it to our select committee to decide. Because I’m not in the select committee. Leave it to our leadership to decide,” he remarked.

In the last state election, Wong lost narrowly by a 100-majority vote to Datuk Michael Tiang.

Asked to rate DAP’s chances of wresting its’ former strongholds of Pelawan and Bukit Assek, Ling believed it was possible.

“We still have a chance because we’re actively engaged on the ground and fulfilling our responsibilities (to the people). The work continues, and I believe we still have a chance.

“Even though this election poses challenges for us, I think we can succeed. With strong support from the people, we can achieve our goal,” he said.

To another question, he did not foresee DAP contesting in Dudong as potentially affecting relations at federal level, where Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) — a GPS component — is part of the unity government.

“I think he (PDP president and Dudong assemblyman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing) will understand that if we do contest (in Dudong) – it is that we have a role to play as an opposition,” he opined.

Ling also called for stronger checks and balances in Sarawak’s development planning, stressing the importance of accountability and prudent use of public funds.

He cautioned that large-scale development initiatives must be carefully managed to avoid becoming white elephants.

This, he said, underlined the need for a stronger opposition presence in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) to provide effective checks and balances.

“So, the coming state election will be something very important for us to send in more (DAP) wakil rakyat (elected representatives) to check and balance the current (Sarawak) government.

“Because we don’t want the big projects like acquiring an airline, acquiring a bank, as well as the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) project (turning into white elephants),” said Ling, adding that he has some reservations about the ART project.