GE13: PKR compromises with DAP, withdraws from Mas Gading to avoid three-cornered fight
http://elections.thestar.com.my/story.aspx?file=/2013/4/19/nation/20130419180557#.UXEjMZgoHCM
Published: Friday April 19, 2013 MYT 6:04:00 PM
KUCHING: PKR has withdrawn from contesting in Mas Gading in order to give way to DAP but will field its candidates in Sri Aman and Miri instead.
Announcing this, state PKR vice-chairman See Chee How said the decision was made by the party's central leadership yesterday afternoon.
"We are withdrawing the authorisation letter issued for our Mas Gading candidate Boniface Willy Tumek. We are very grateful that Boniface kindly agreed to give back the authorisation letter to the party so that there will be no three-cornered fight (between Barisan Nasional, PKR and DAP)," he told a press conference at the party headquarters here on Friday.
See said the decision came about after it emerged that DAP had named its candidate Mordi Bimol for Mas Gading, almost at the same time as PKR was announcing Boniface's candidacy on Thursday night.
Subsequent to that, he said PKR would now contest in Sri Aman and Miri instead of DAP. Its candidates will be well-known land rights activist Nicholas Mujah in Sri Aman and Dr Michael Teo in Miri.
"They are not only contesting as PKR candidates but also as the Pakatan Rakyat candidates," he said, adding that DAP had agreed to withdraw its claims on these two seats.
See said the aim was to ensure that PKR and DAP would not be contesting against each other in any constituency.
"As far as I know, there will be no fight between PKR and DAP," he said.
Mas Gading, Sri Aman and Miri had been among the seats with overlapping claims by PKR and DAP. Another overlapping seat, Stampin, remained unresolved as of yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Boniface said he was saddened by the sudden turn of events and regretted the disappointment now facing PKR members and supporters in Mas Gading.
"I was advised by our top leaders to stand down and give way. As a party man I agreed to abide by the decision of our top national leaders and have surrended my authorisation letter. "That's because I look at the bigger picture and think about the long-term interests of PKR in Mas Gading," he said.
However, he said he would consider taking legal action against PKR if the DAP candidate were to use PKR's logo during nomination and the campaign period as this would be a great embarrassment to him.
See said he empathised with Boniface and PKR members and supporters in Mas Gading over the withdrawal but urged them to support whoever the Pakatan candidate was.
He also said it was up to the national leadership to decide whether DAP candidates would use PKR's logo in Sarawak, adding that he had not received any instructions on the matter.
KUCHING: PKR has withdrawn from contesting in Mas Gading in order to give way to DAP but will field its candidates in Sri Aman and Miri instead.
Announcing this, state PKR vice-chairman See Chee How said the decision was made by the party's central leadership yesterday afternoon.
"We are withdrawing the authorisation letter issued for our Mas Gading candidate Boniface Willy Tumek. We are very grateful that Boniface kindly agreed to give back the authorisation letter to the party so that there will be no three-cornered fight (between Barisan Nasional, PKR and DAP)," he told a press conference at the party headquarters here on Friday.
See said the decision came about after it emerged that DAP had named its candidate Mordi Bimol for Mas Gading, almost at the same time as PKR was announcing Boniface's candidacy on Thursday night.
Subsequent to that, he said PKR would now contest in Sri Aman and Miri instead of DAP. Its candidates will be well-known land rights activist Nicholas Mujah in Sri Aman and Dr Michael Teo in Miri.
"They are not only contesting as PKR candidates but also as the Pakatan Rakyat candidates," he said, adding that DAP had agreed to withdraw its claims on these two seats.
See said the aim was to ensure that PKR and DAP would not be contesting against each other in any constituency.
"As far as I know, there will be no fight between PKR and DAP," he said.
Mas Gading, Sri Aman and Miri had been among the seats with overlapping claims by PKR and DAP. Another overlapping seat, Stampin, remained unresolved as of yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Boniface said he was saddened by the sudden turn of events and regretted the disappointment now facing PKR members and supporters in Mas Gading.
"I was advised by our top leaders to stand down and give way. As a party man I agreed to abide by the decision of our top national leaders and have surrended my authorisation letter. "That's because I look at the bigger picture and think about the long-term interests of PKR in Mas Gading," he said.
However, he said he would consider taking legal action against PKR if the DAP candidate were to use PKR's logo during nomination and the campaign period as this would be a great embarrassment to him.
"I withdrew on the understanding that the candidate from DAP would
not be coming to Mas Gading using PKR's name. I'm troubled because it
looks like Mas Gading was sacrificed in the greater interest of Pakatan
but this does not take into consideration the work that we have done and
the feelings of the PKR members in Mas Gading," a clearly upset
Boniface said.
He added that he had been working continuously on the ground since
before the last state election in 2011 and was confident about his
chances, had he been allowed to contest.See said he empathised with Boniface and PKR members and supporters in Mas Gading over the withdrawal but urged them to support whoever the Pakatan candidate was.
He also said it was up to the national leadership to decide whether DAP candidates would use PKR's logo in Sarawak, adding that he had not received any instructions on the matter.
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