With a few days to go to nomination day, Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen announced 10 election candidates for the southern region of the state, including five Dayak and a Malay.

This differs from the last state election, where all 15 candidates but one were Chinese.

In a mobilisation night at Kuching, Chong appealed for continued support from the traditional Chinese urban voters as the party is also expanding to the rural areas.

“After we won all urban seats during the 2013 general election, many people told me that we have to go to the kampung as well.

“We are going to the kampung now, hopefully our backyard won't catch fire,” Chong ( photo ) told a 300-strong crowd in front of state DAP headquarters last night.

The incumbent Kota Sentosa assemblyperson said in the past, Sarawak had missed the chance for voters in urban and rural seats to vote simultaneously for the opposition.

The Dayak, he added, were seeking change during 1987 snap state election, when most Dayak voted for the then opposition group, Kumpulan Maju.

“But the Chinese remained status quo and pulled a handbreak,” he said, referring to the historic Ming Court Affairs event that saw the Sarawak BN lose its two-thirds majority for the first time in history. It retained the state government with a simple majority.

Later, Chong said, the rural voters sided with the BN while Chinese voters have been seeking change from the 2006 state election till today.

“Let us have the urban and rural voters together, to seek ‘Ubah’ now!” he thundered to the cheers of the crowd, of which one-third were Iban.

The DAP candidates for seats in southern Sarawak are:

  • Tasik Biru - Mordi Bimol
  • Pending - Violet Yong Wui Wui
  • Padungan - Wong King Wei
  • Kota Sentosa - Chong Chieng Jen
  • Batu Kawah - Christina Chiew
  • Kedup - Andrew Nyabe
  • Stakan - Abdul Aziz Isa
  • Mambong - Sanjan Daik
  • Bukit Semuja - Edward Luwak
  • Simanggang - Leon Jimat Donald

Among DAP leaders present at the event were secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, national treasurer Fong Kui Lun, Penang DAP chief Chow Kon Yow and the man who set up the DAP in Sarawak, Chong Siew Chiang.

The state DAP is expected to announce its full list of 29 candidates today. Apart from the incumbents in the 12 urban Chinese-majority seats, the party is expected to go on the offensive in 16 Dayak-majority seats and a Malay-majority seat.