By Lian Cheng
BINTULU, Oct 30: Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) is confident of wresting back Saratok through its candidate Giendam Jonathan Tait even though its incumbent, Datuk Ali Biju, had snubbed the party when offered to join on several occasions.
This is revealed by PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing in an exclusive interview with DayakDaily at his party headquarters recently.
“I have asked to consider (Datuk) Ali Biju. I think many times already I have talked to him. He said he wanted to wait and see because he preferred to stay with (Datuk Seri) Azmin Ali.
“But towards the end of the day, someone told me, I don’t know if it’s true or not, that if he (continues to) join Azmin Ali, once he wins, he will continue to become the deputy minister in the Federal government,” said Tiong.
The veteran incumbent Bintulu MP said as a politician, one should not serve personal interests but the interests of the public.
“For me, when we become a politician, we cannot just look after our own interests or harbouring the motive that once you get in (are elected), you want to be a deputy minister.
“I have been Bintulu MP for the last five terms already; I have never told myself I want to achieve my personal interests. Instead, I will try my best to serve,” he said.
Tiong said before he announced the PDP candidates, he was asked by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to convince Ali once again to join PDP.
“Even before I announced PDP’s candidates, I tried to talk to him (Ali) again because GPS asked me to talk to him. But he still refused. He said, ‘tengok la, tengok la‘ (let’s wait and see).
“But from our part, we cannot continue to wait. I have no choice; we need to make sure that our candidate for Saratok starts moving about. You know, we need to come out with our candidate who is more reliable and hard-working,” he said.
To Tiong, who is also caretaker Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China, since Ali has his own direction, PDP has no choice but to fight it out with him.
As long as Saratok candidate Giendam Jonathan Tait has the support of all the State assemblymen (ADUN) of GPS, Tiong said PDP has a chance to recapture the seat.
“The most important is the ADUN of all the GPS component parties. If we work together, I think we will be able to achieve it — as simple as that,” said Tiong.
The parliamentary seats of Saratok consist of three State seats — Krian, Kalaka, and Kabung. Presently, only Krian, an Iban-majority seat, is held by PDP, while Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) holds Kalaka and Kabung, which the Iban and Malay pre-dominantly make up.
On Mas Gading, he said the party had identified the factors which caused them to lose the seat in the last election (the 14th General Election or GE14), and he will make sure that history will not be repeated.
He said currently, PDP vice president and Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Henry Harry Jinep has been bringing the new candidate, Lidang Disen, to meet the voters, while at the same time, the PDP Mas Gading branch is working closely with other component parties to make sure that the seat will return to GPS’ fold.
For the general election, PDP has traditionally been allocated four seats, namely Bintulu, Baram, Saratok, and Mas Gading.
In GE14, PDP lost Saratok to Ali Biju, who was contesting under Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). Ali later left PKR to join Parti Prebumi Malaysia Bersatu (Bersatu).
The party lost the Mas Gading seat to Democratic Action Party (DAP) candidate Mordi Bimol. For GE15, PDP is expected to face Mordi again in a multi-cornered fight. — DayakDaily
