By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Oct 31: Sarawak Pakatan Harapan chief Chong Chieng Jen believes 75 per cent of Sarawakians want a change in the state government in the next state election, which is due in 2021.
He said he came to the conclusion based on an informal survey carried out by the Democratic Action Party (DAP).
“Our contact with people at the grassroots showed that 75 per cent of them want to have a fresh start and new hope,” said Chong, who is also Stampin MP and Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs.
One of the main reasons for wanting this change, he claimed, was because the way the government managed procurements and awarding of contracts was “tantamount to daylight robbery”.
“We have exposed this improper procurement mechanism. Even tenders can be manipulated,” he told DayakDaily, when asked to comment on the result of a survey done by Associate Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi.
According to Awang Azman, the survey’s findings showed that 70 per cent of Sarawakians support Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
In terms of racial breakdown, he said 80 per cent of Malay/Melanau and between 60 and 70 per cent of Ibans support GPS. On the other hand, 80 per cent of Chinese and between 60 and 70 per cent of Bidayuhs support PH.
Declining to comment on the stand of the different communities, Chong, who is also Kota Sentosa assemblyman and DAP chairman, said the way the Sarawak government was using the state’s reserves now was also a factor leading to Sarawakians abandoning GPS. — DayakDaily
