PKR’s Dr Teo beats DAP to seat claim

 

(Borneo Post) – PKR Miri chairman Dr Michael Teo Yu Kheng yesterday put himself at the forefront to represent the opposition pact here by buying three sets of nomination papers and rolling out a brand new 4WD-Toyota Double Cab vehicle for his election campaign.

 

The bold move signalled PKR Miri’s serious intention to win Miri parliamentary seat for Pakatan Rakyat (PR), as could be seen on the banner mounted on Dr Teo’s newly-minted vehicle – Dr Micheal Teo Untuk Parlimen Miri.

 

It was a strong message to its PR partner DAP and the electorate that it wanted the seat despite earlier assertions by DAP’s Lim Su Kien that she would go for the seat.

 

Lim’s bid has been wrecked by internal political squabble in DAP Miri, in what was perceived by constituents as the high-handedness of the party’s central body in handling dissent following differences in the party’s choice of candidate.

 

The fallout, including the sacking of six key grassroots organisers, has resulted in a public backlash against Lim and the party, with the public giving lukewarm response to the recent four ‘Ubah’ talks in Miri.

 

Dr Teo contested and lost in the predominantly Bumiputera parliamentary constituency of Sibuti in 2008, but went within a whisker of winning in Senadin in the 2011 state election when he was beaten by a mere 58 votes by BN’s Datuk Lee Kim Shin of SUPP.

 

His move may be seen as putting the cart before the horse because PR has yet to announce its candidates for Sarawak.

 

“I will also be hiring a small lorry to be converted into a mobile stage for election campaign,” he asserted in a press conference yesterday.

 

Earlier on, Dr Teo lent his support to a group of 100 natives holding a demonstration at the car park of National Registration Department office here to demand that they be issued with identity cards.