your say 'The critical question is about winnability because denying BN its two-thirds majority in Sarawak foretells the next tsunami in the coming general elections.'

'PKR needs Chinese-majority seats too'

Quigonbond: I can fully understand where PKR is coming from and in fact PKR vice-president Tian Chua makes a good case that PKR and DAP both needs to be seen to represent all races.

But the critical question in this election is about winnability, which cannot be overstated, because denying BN its two-thirds majority in Sarawak foretells the next tsunami in the coming general elections.

DAP is a more disciplined party, less prone to defection, and as such is in a better position to win those seats. Empirical evidence suggests that it is illogical for PKR to contest those seats. It also reflects a lack of foresight on the part of Sarawak PKR which, as the newer party, should have planned ahead where they want to break new grounds so that they don't have overlapping claims like now.

At the same time, I agree that DAP should contest another two or three seats where it is less strong, in order to shoulder some responsibilities as a coalition partner. Perhaps DAP should wade into PKR/Snap negotiations.

Kgen: Tian Chua is right. DAP as an avowed multi-racial party should not just focus on winnable Chinese majority seats. Have the future of Malaysian politics in mind rather than short-term narrow interests. It's also a poor long-term strategy with the percentage of Chinese voters getting lower in years to come. Even Penang is no longer a Chinese-majority state.

Congrats: Tian Chua, if PKR wants to make its presence felt in urban Chinese areas, I suggest nominating a candidate to stand in these areas is not the solution. Standing in these areas against DAP who is a coalition partner will not only split the votes but enable BN to have a higher chance of winning.

Election time is not the time to 'test' your presence. It should be way before elections. Election time is a do-or-die situation and testing grounds would be unwise.

Hello: PKR wants to contest in Chinese-majority seats, but is it in a position to win compared to DAP? PKR cannot elbow its way into a constituency just because it wants to show its non-racial membership representation.

DAP also wants to be multiracial, in fact, its ideals are multiracial, but the reality is that the majority of Chinese support DAP because of its multiracial agenda. The problem is that there are few Malays willing to join the party due to mistaken perceptions about the party. Until there are more members from other races, especially the Malays, DAP can only stand in Chinese-majority areas.

PKR should not be small-minded and demand for seats that only DAP is capable of winning.

DragonStar: It is time for DAP to give a deep thought to preventing itself from becoming the shadow of MCA - a sort of unrealistic multiracial party. I share Tian Chua's ideas.

DAP must take this opportunity for a change in history and share the burden with PKR towards achieving a tough but meaningful vision. Don't always stay in your comfort zone, as that can cause DAP to deteriorate as times go by.

Inspektor Klueso: The bottom line is that DAP is a much more disciplined and principled party than the accident- and gaffe-prone PKR. Those winnable Chinese constituency seats should be contested - and won by the DAP - not to be "allocated" to the PKR, whose members are so "froggish" once elected.

Save for Hee Yit Fong in Perak, elected DAP candidates have pretty cohesive and loyal to the just cause.

Durian: Tian Chua, come on, if PKR is sincere in getting a win-win solution, you should be discussing this at a high-level meeting internally. Surely both sides have their justification. You can't simply go about shooting your mouth in the media. You are going to invite a reply from someone in DAP and lending bullets for BN to attack the partnership.

You have still to move on from those days where you lie on the road to prove your point. You are no longer a small fry in PKR. Grow up.

Geronimo: PKR should not even be contesting in Sarawak at all. Let DAP and PAS, and especially DAP - which is very much entrenched in the Sarawak politics for decades now - be the torch bearer for Pakatan Rakyat.

On the other hand, PKR should spend time getting its house in order before the problems they have been facing get exploited issues by the BN. Going into Sarawak at this time, therefore, can prove to be a liability rather than an asset to Pakatan.

As for PAS, we need people like Khalid Samad and Dr Dzulkefli Ahmad to be the point persons. Their credibility will allay the fear of many Sarawakians of the prospect of the Islamic state.

Hornbill: DAP had been with Sarawak for a long time since the days of Sim Kwang Yang (former Kuching MP). DAP had good rapport with the people, whether Chinese or not. They were topics of discussions at ‘kopitiams' - and we talk about what Chong Jien Jen and Violet Yong are doing. But who is PKR?

Did PKR show up at the temple procession last Saturday (March 26)? Did anyone from PKR joined the churches gathering at Kingwood Inn recently? To force DAP away simply because PKR do not want to impede its "development as a party representing multiracial Malaysia" is unreasonable.

You know what it feels like? That Big Brother from Kuala Lumpur comes to Sarawak and pushes its little brothers around. And it's not like DAP had not let go of any seats. They have given up Padungan and Miri. Is that not enough?

DragonStar: Everyone said DAP is in Sarawak longer than PKR, but why limit itself to contesting only the 16 seats which they feel comfortable? Why let PKR shoulder the tough side of the battle?

If PKR retreats, can DAP field their candidates for the rest of the seats against BN? Political partners have to give and take and negotiate maturely. Only then, their coalition can be successful.

Zainal: If DAP still want to maintain its Chinese focus and not ready to reinvent itself as a multiracial party by contesting in non-Chinese areas, soon the party will be extinct since the Chinese-majority areas/seats are diminishing as shown by the demographic trends in Malaysia. Don't just talk about track record, plan ahead and strategise!

ONG: Statistics from the 2008 general elections show which party the voters want. There were two seats where both DAP and PKR were involved in three-cornered contests against BN. These are the results:

Sibu: BN (19,138), DAP (15,903), PKR (812). Stampin: BN (21,966), DAP (18,896), PKR (2,198). In Sibu, PKR had a miserable 2.2% of the votes cast and yet they actually tried to muscle their way into the subsequent 2010 by-election. In both seats where PKR insisted on contesting against DAP, they lost their deposits.

FatLOM: Since the 70s until 2006, DAP has had its highs and lows in Sarawak. On its own, DAP has been incapable of capturing Sarawak. Only after Anwar Ibrahim managed, through PKR, to make PAS and DAP sit side-by-side, did DAP make major inroads into Sarawak. Along with Lim Kit Siang and Abdul Hadi Awang and their teams, Anwar's contributions cannot be disputed.

Unlike in 2006, today's PKR in Sarawak is also capable of winning in some Chinese-majority seats. DAP is playing it safe by trying to grab almost all the Chinese-majority seats while leaving PKR to tough it out in BN's fixed-deposit seats in the rural areas.

Due to its exposed game-plan, Snap may not win anything which make it difficult to have Snap stand in three or more seats. That leaves PKR to shoulder the heaviest responsibility, and that is why DAP should also give some Chinese-majority seats to PKR and to also stand in a few more rural seats.

Obviously PKR is not greedy. It just want a fair share of winnable and 'losable' seats.

 

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