As the battle for Sibu between the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) heats up, the Opposition party is now crying foul over recent campaign tactics by the Barisan Nasional component party, who they claim is copying their ideas.

NONE DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang accussed the SUPP of hijacking their slogan for change, by putting up billboards all over Sibu town that say they do not want change but instead offer to reform.

"This is just gross deception, because you cannot reform without change. It's impossible," he said at their daily press conference in Sibu.

Lim said the SUPP's change in campaign tactics proves that their "whole electoral strategy is unsettled".

"SUPP strategists are now unsettled and resorting to any tactics in order to win," he said.

'Talk real issues'

NONE DAP's campaign manager for this by-election, Chong Chieng Jen ( right ), challenged the SUPP to back up their "reform" slogan by making a clear stand on five issues that are high on the local voters' list of concerns.

Chong, who is also DAP Sarawak secretary and Bandar Kuching MP, said the five issues are:

1. Amending the Land Code to allow for free auto-renewal of leasehold land licenses,

2. Awarding state and federal government projects through open tender,

3. Systematic disbursement of education funds, especially for Chinese, Chinese Middle and Christian schools,

4. A two-term limit on the tenure of Chief Minister,

5. Awarding timber licenses via open tender.

"Saying you are going for reform and not change is just a matter of terminology. If they are really serious about reform, I challenge them to state their stand on these five issues," he said.