By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Aug 6: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng today stopped short of saying whether he would contest the proposed Tabuan Jaya State seat, insisting it is premature to speculate before the Election Commission (EC) officially unveils its electoral re-delineation proposal.
Responding to a question on whether he is interested in contesting the purported new constituency, Wee instead questioned the source of reports on the proposed seat, saying there has been no official confirmation.
“First, where does the source come from? Where does that new seat of Tabuan Jaya come from? We don’t know.
“So don’t guess. If it is there, it is there. If it’s not, then it’s not,” he told reporters when met at MBKS office here today.
Wee said the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) had already approved the State’s proposal, and it is now for the relevant authorities to complete the process.
“Our minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, has said it quite clearly. The DUS has approved it, so it is for them to endorse it.
“I don’t know what will come out, but whatever it is, we hope the other side also respects the decision that has been made by the DUS,” he added.
He noted that multiple purported constituency lists had circulated in recent months, making it impossible to determine which, if any, reflected the actual proposal.
“A few months ago, you saw one list talking about other areas. Now you have another one mentioning Tabuan Jaya.
“So whether the seat is real or not, we are yet to see it. Just be patient. They said it would be in August, and now it is already August, so it should be coming up very soon,” he said.
Wee also expressed confidence that any changes arising from the re-delineation exercise would not significantly affect the ruling coalition, saying the present government has continued to serve the people well under Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s leadership.
Earlier, Wee said MBKS has yet to receive any directive from the EC to display the proposed electoral boundary maps.
“So far, we have not received any instructions just yet. Once the instruction comes, we will display (the maps),” he said.
He reiterated that the public should wait for the EC’s official announcement instead of relying on rumours.
“If we talk about rumours and whether the seat is there or not, it’s just a guessing game.
“Once we have received it, we will inform you and display it,” he emphasised.
In the 2021 Sarawak Election, Wee contested the Pending seat under the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) ticket but lost to Democratic Action Party (DAP) incumbent Violet Yong Wui Wui by 5,872 votes. — DayakDaily
