Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak legal advisor Dominique Ng is almost certain to contest on a PKR ticket in the predominantly Chinese seat of Padungan in the upcoming state polls.

After his dismal performance in the 2001 polls for the same seat, Ng was having reservations about contesting under PKR again because of the Chinese-electorate's attitude towards the party.

He was said to be mulling the possibilities of standing as an independent or on a Snap ticket.

However, Snap secretary-general Edmund Stanley Jugol recently said his party never discussed this matter with Ng, who declined to comment on this.

DAP Sarawak chairperson Wong Ho Leng also ruled out the possibility of his party 'loaning' its symbol to PKR or Ng.

"We will cross the bridge when we come to it," he replied when asked if DAP would field a candidate for Padungan should PKR fail to do so.

In an interview with The Borneo Post , state PKR liaison committee chairperson Wan Zainal Abidin Wan Sanusi said the party will contest for the seat.

"There's not the slightest chance the party will pull out from the ring," he said.

No racial politics

Visiting PKR national information chief Tian Chua told a press conference at the state party headquarters that PKR does not practice racial politics.

He appealed to the Chinese voters to understand the principles of PKR as a party with multi-racial aims and objectives, citing for example, its call for the abolition of the New Economic Policy to be replaced with a policy that emphasised on fairness.

He said the coming state elections would be a turning point for the people of Sarawak as it would give them the opportunity through the democratic process to make their wishes and demands known.

Tian Chua said PKR did not come to Sarawak with a federal agenda. "That is why we work together with other parties like Snap and MDC to form an alliance".

PKR national advisor and former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim is expected to visit leaders of the new opposition grouping called Barisan Bersatu Sarawak (BBS) after the dissolution of the state legislative assembly expected next weekend.

There has been talk that polling for the ninth state elections may be in June instead of May.