As campaigning heats up to win the hearts and minds of voters in Bandar Kuching, the banner war between BN and DAP has also intensified in various parts of the city.

chong chieng jen One particular banner 'I don't want a one-race government - Pak Lah’ in support of BN candidate Alan Sim Yaw Yen, Supp Youth chief, has received a swift response from his DAP opponent Chong Chieng Jen ( right ) in this predominantly Chinese constituency.

Chong, who is also the state assemblyperson for Kota Sentosa and a lawyer, is seeking his second term in Bandar Kuching, and this time he is said to be facing a tough fight against an equally young BN challenger, also a Kuching lawyer.

He told a press conference today that the BN banner quoting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was 'rubbish'.

To prove his point, he released copies of a letter from the Finance Ministry dated May 30, 2007 and addressed to the Ministry of Works secretary-general specifically stating that all contracts should only be given to bumiputera mechanical and engineering contractors.

The letter from the Finance Ministry added that this applied to all contacts given out by government departments and government agencies.

Supp vulnerable in two areas

Chong also protested the action taken by the enforcement unit of the Election Commission to remove a DAP banner related to the crime situation, saying that the facts were all supported by findings of the Royal Commission on the Malaysian Police Force.

DAP has also gone down to the hustings with banners proclaiming its fight against corruption.

‘Without DAP, there will be more corruption in the BN,’ says one banner right in downtown Padungan in the heart of Kuching.

Meanwhile, pundits predict a close fight between BN and Supp in Bandar Kuching where the last ceramah on the last day allowed for voting on March 7 are expected to be attended by huge crowds trying to listen to new issues being brought up.

Meanwhile, former DAP Bandar Kuching MP Sim Kwang Yang is back in town to shore up support for the PKR candidate in Stampin See Chee How, who is involved in a three-cornered fight with BN's Yong Khoon Seng and DAP's Voon Lee Shan, who is also the state assemblyperson for Batu Lintang.

Special intelligence reports say based on latest feedbacks the BN is in no danger of losing more than two seats with Bandar Kuching being one and Sarikei the other.