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By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, July 5: Sarawak DAP expects to field a new, young candidate to vie for the Bukit Semuja seat in the upcoming state election.
Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen in a press statement today, asserted the recent resignation of its Serian branch chairman Edward Andrew Luwak will not hamper the political party’s preparation for the upcoming state election.
He revealed DAP Serian has been making preparations to contest in the Bukit Semuja and Kedup seats for the 12th Sarawak Election.
“I have today called a meeting of the Serian branch members to brief them on the quitting of the branch chairman.
“In the short briefing, I have shared with them the party’s decision that the party intends to field a new, young candidate for the Bukit Semuja state constituency in the coming state elections.
“This has been communicated to the Serian branch chairman sometime in March this year,” Chong who is Kota Sentosa assemblyman disclosed.
He added that most of the party’s Serian branch members are still with the party as evident by number of members who attended the briefing today despite being given short notice.
Thus, he believed most of its members are in high spirits and unperturbed by Edward’s resignation.
Chong revealed DAP Serian will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) sometime this month or next month and a new branch committee will be elected to manage the branch after the AGM.
In the meantime, Chong added, his assistant Brolin Nicholsion will help to manage the branch’s affairs.
He believed Edward’s resignation on June 28 will not hamper Sarawak DAP’s work in Serian.
He disclosed the party’s Serian branch is tasked with winning the two state constituencies of Bukit Semuja and Kedup, located within Serian in the coming state elections.
Meanwhile, Edward contested in the Bukit Semuja seat, which was a new seat then under the DAP ticket in 2016.
He lost to John Illus who was then a direct Barisan National direct candidate by 3,144 votes.
Edward received 2,307 votes while John garnered 5,451 votes. — DayakDaily