Following the success of its women candidates in the 2006 state election, the DAP will double the number of its women candidates in the upcoming 10th state election.

DAP state chairperson Wong Ho Leng said: "The number of women candidates in this coming election is unprecedented."

Speaking at a press conference in Sibu today, he hoped that with more women candidates in the state assembly, more women issues would be raised in the House.

In the 2006 state election, DAP field two women candidates, Violet Yong in Pending and Ting Tze Fui in Meradong, who both won with big majority against Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) incumbent candidates.

Violet Yong was the giant killer when she beat Sim Kheng Hui, who was the state assemblyperson for Pending since the state election in 1991 and was the assistant minister of culture and urbanisation, with a majority of 4,372 votes.

It is believed the two new DAP women candidates were expected to be contesting in one of the seats in Kuching and another in Sibu.

Wong said the party would be contesting in 15 seats in the upcoming state election, compared with 12 in the 2006 state election.

He said: "The finalised candidates list will be announced by the top party leaders in the next one or two days."

In the 9th state election, the DAP contested in 12 seats and won six - Pending, Batu Lintang, Kota Sentosa, Meradong, Bukit Assek and Kidurong.

Wong also said that the DAP had set up its campaign committee to oversee the operation in four seats - Dudong, Pelawan, Bukit Assek and Bawang Assan - which they hoped to contest in the coming election.

Ngieng Ping Sing and Oscar Ling have been appointed as campaign directors for all the four seats, said Wong who is the Bukit Assek state assemblyperson.

The other three were won by SUPP with a small majority except Bawang Assan.

The SUPP's incumbent Goh Chung Siong mananged to secure a 263 majority for the Pelawan seat, while his party mate, the incumbent Dr Soon Choon Teck mananged to win with a 408 majority in Dudong.

For Bawang Assan, Wong Soon Koh from SUPP won with a 2,504-vote majority.

Ho Leng, who is also Sibu MP, said the letter of authorisation for the use of the DAP symbol to the party's candidates would be issued on April 3, three days before nomination on April 6.

- Bernama