The clock is ticking for Adenan Satem to call the next Sarawak state election, but both DAP and PKR have yet to decide which party will contest in the overlapping claims in the remaining nine seats.

This is despite Pakatan Harapan’s four rounds of seat negotiation meetings held since last year.

According to a source, the parties managed to “settle a few seats” in various talks, as PKR originally wanted to contest at least 38 seats, while DAP demanded 40 seats for its candidates.

They managed to reduce the number in dispute from more than 10 seats to nine seats, the source said.

Not surprisingly, both parties are adamant about contesting in Senadin and Batu Kitang, both Chinese majority seats. Chinese in Sarawak are seen as staunch supporters of the opposition.

BN’s Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) almost lost to PKR in Senadin, a semi-urban seat. SUPP won by a slim majority of 58 votes in the 2011 state election.

Batu Kitang is the only Chinese majority seat near Kuching that was created under last year’s state constituency redelineation exercise.

Notably, PKR and DAP are also eyeing two state seats - Mulu and Marudi -both under the Baram parliament seat, which was previously won by BN with a majority of 194 votes.

The source in PKR said the parties were adamant to stand in Tasik Biru, a state seat up for grabs following the split in BN party Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

Tasik Biru assemblyperson Peter Nansian Ngusie left SPDP for Teras, its splinter party, and his new party wanted him to be fielded there again.

Other seats in dispute are Mambong, Simanggang, Lambir and a new seat, Bukit Semuja, according to the source.

Last Monday, Adenan ( photo ) said he would finalise the BN candidates by the end of this month and would dissolve the state legislative assembly after that.

‘Give-and-take in seat negotiations’

When contacted, both Sarawak DAP chairperson Chong Chieng Jen and PKR vice-chairperson See Chee How declined to reveal further details.

“Only less than one-tenth (out of 82 state seats) are unresolved,” said See.

However , both Chong and See are confident the seat negotiation talks would be finalised cordially, and that they would be able to arrange one-to-one fights in all the seats.

Meanwhile, Sarawak DAP secretary Alan Ling, who sits in the state committee that selects the candidates, said the two parties would hold their final discussion in two weeks’ time.

“We had four seats in the negotiation talks since last year - twice held in Kuala Lumpur and twice in Sarawak. We are making progress,” he told Malaysiakini .

Ling said he is confidence that DAP and PKR can reach a consensusin the give-and take spirit.

“For instance, in my area - northern Sarawak - we want to contest seven seats out of 12.

“There is overlapping claims in four seats - Lambir, Marudi, Mulu and Senadin. We expect to get two seats as we need to negotiate and compromise, too,” Ling said.

“DAP will contest at least 30 seats (after the negotiations),” he vowed.

It was reported that Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) wanted to contest the 11 seats of Pantai Damai, Satok, Samariang, Tupong, Demak Laut, Batu Kitang, Muara Tuang, Kabong, Beting Maro, Senadin and Samalaju.

PAS also plans to contest more than 10 seats, including Beting Maro, Sebuyau, Sadong Jaya, Muara Tuang, Samariang, Pantai Damai, Jepak, Samalaju, Lambir, Senadin, Batu Kawa and Dudong.

Almost like a competition on the ground

While the state leaders are negotiating at the top level, potential candidates are competing among themselves on the ground, particularly in the controversial seats.

It is almost like a competition for the prospective candidates, said the source.

They contest among themselves so that the other party would recognise they have outshined their ‘rivals’, he said.

“They are judged by their qualities, qualifications, reputation and experience. They are also judged by how well the community accepts them and the possible votes they may obtain,” said another source.

“This was how the parties negotiated in the previous discussions,” added the source.

Confirming this, Ling ( photo ) said the parties also look at their overall strategy on how they plan to win and gather feedback from the people, besides the candidates’ credentials.

Sarawak PKR first unveiled its first batch of prospective candidates - 15 of them - in December 2015.

Petra Jaya DAP Socialist Youth publicity secretary Abdul Aziz Isa had lambasted PKR for being “selfish and self-serving” in naming the candidates before negotiating with its ally.

Abdul Aziz, the great grandson of former Sarawak governor Abdul Rahman Yakub, or his state DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen, will contest Batu Kitang in Kuching.

PKR has announced that Voon Shiak Ni, a human rights lawyer, would contest in Batu Kitang, together with the announcement of 14 other prospective candidates in December 2015.

“I am more than ready to be a candidate in Batu Kitang, I have prepared myself since 2011,” Voon told Malaysiakini curtly.

Paul Baya, a prospective PKR candidate in Mulu, also claimed that he stands a better chance to stand as compared with DAP’s prospective candidate Paul Raja.

This is because, he said, PKR had set up its service centre in Baram since 2011 while DAP only set up its service centre last month.

“It is not fair for DAP to claim the Mulu state seat after all the hard work we have put in,” Paul Baya claimed.

Paul Raja declined to comment, saying, “My apologies. Responding to public debate among the coalition members does not help our cause. It only reflects our fragility. I think it is better to keep quiet.”

Paul Baya, 55, is a businessman while Paul Raja, a human rights lawyer, had previously stood in the 2011 state election under the PKR ticket.