Pakatan Rakyat projected a unity hitherto elusive in Sarawak in preparation for the Sibu by-election on May 16 as well as the upcoming state election.

Pakatan leaders Anwar Ibrahim (PKR), Lim Kit Siang (DAP) and Nasaruddin Mat Isa (PAS), together with two top Snap officials, met in Sibu today to seal an agreement that the Pakatan candidate for the by-election would be from the DAP and would be backed to the hilt by a coordinated campaign.

“This is an auspicious beginning for Pakatan in Sarawak,” claimed Anwar in remarks to a press conference called immediately after agreement was reached.

His sentiments were echoed by Lim and Nasharuddin who each hailed the agreement as a good augury for intra-coalition collaboration in advance of state elections widely expected to be held this year.

Anwar said the operations and strategies of Sarawak Pakatan for the Sibu poll and the state election would be decided by the coalition’s leaders in the state under guidelines provided by the central leadership of the coalition.

An ebullient Lim felt that the Sibu by-election would provide Pakatan with a great chance to gain momentum for the state poll expected to be called soon.

“Issues of transparency and accountability in governance would be relevant in Sibu as they have been in the Peninsula,” he opined.

“We have set the national agenda for change and will take it to the people in Sarawak,” he added.

NCR land an election issue

Anwar chimed in to emphasise that land issues would also be important in Sarawak where native customary rights (NCR) land is a matter of grave concern to the Dayak people.

The Sarawak courts are presently deluged with action taken by Dayaks claiming that their NCR land has been taken over by plantation companies and logging companies.

Anwar said the marginalisation of the poor and of the land-deprived would be issues of importance which Pakatan would pay heed to.

Nasharuddin interjected to say that Pakatan were determined to avoid being snared in a game of cosmetic slogans.

“We are determined to bring the substance of change to the people and to avoid being caught up in semantics,” he said.