Seats: Ngieng tells DAP top guns to state stand
(Borneo Post) – SUPP Sibu vice Chairman Daniel Ngieng yesterday challenged Sarawak DAP top two leaders – chairman Wong Ho Leng and secretary Chong Ching Jen – to state whether they were willing to give up either their parliamentary or assemblymen posts to live up to their party’s proposed declaration.
Wong is assemblyman of Bukit Assek and Sibu MP, while Chong is Kota Sentosa assemblyman and Bandar Kuching MP.
Ngieng said in a statement that DAP national chairman Karpal Singh had, last Friday, suggested that “all DAP parliamentary members who are also state assemblymen should publicly declare which seat they wish to contest in the coming general election”.
Ngieng, who is also deputy chairman of Sibu Municipal Council, said other DAP top guns in the Peninsula who were holding two posts were Lim Guan Eng, Ngeh Khoo Ham, Nga Kor Ming, Teresa Kok and Anthony Loke.
“We ask Wong and Chong whether they will support Karpal’s suggestion which was proposed by Ngeh.”
Ngieng hoped both Chong and Wong, who are both lawyers, would not excuse themselves by saying this was their internal party matter which others should not question.
He said Karpal had clarified that the `One candidate, one seat’ policy was for public interest by virtue of their accountability to the constituents.
“This means when a person holds two posts, the call of duties would be compromised,” he said.
“For instance, when Wong is attending his parliamentary sitting he has no time for the constituents in Bukit Assek. This is not fair to them.”
He said DAP leaders had preached about fairness, accountability and responsibility.
In view of their proposed policy, Ngieng said it was timely for both Wong and Chong to declare their stand.
He said if they practised that it would give opportunities to more aspiring DAP leaders who might be denied to lead if DAP Sarawak stuck to the `One candidate, two seats’ practice.
“One DAP source from Selangor said the objection to Karpal’s proposal from some DAP leaders may stem from worries that they could lose their multiple incomes, some of which had exceeded RM40,000 monthly, if they were just sticking to one seat,”
He said if both Wong and Chong were taking part in the coming parliamentary election, they would have to vacate their state seats based on their ‘one candidate, one seat’ policy.
He challenged both Wong and Chong to make the declaration, saying: “The public deserve to be informed of your stand before the coming election.”
