PKR-DAP clash on the cards in Sarawak polls if Pakatan troubles unresolved

(Malay Mail Online) – PKR and DAP may end up on a collision course in the coming Sarawak elections if both parties fail to iron out their differences, state PKR chief Baru Bian said.

The leader said his party is prepared to face its former Pakatan Rakyat (PR) ally if necessary although he hopes this would can be avoided.

“I hope it will not come to that stage because our common enemy is the state Barisan Nasional (BN), not our fellow opposition parties,” he told reporters.

“It is our intention for the opposition to face the BN in straight fights in all the state seats,” he said after chairing the Sarawak PKR liaison committee meeting here.

Baru said PKR and DAP have not been on speaking terms since last year over a number of issues, including hudud, overlapping claims on seats as well as joint preparations for the coming polls.

Ties between Sarawak PKR and Sarawak DAP turned sour after the Kelantan State Assembly unanimously passed amendments to the Syariah Criminal Code II (1993) in March for the purpose of implementing hudud in the state.

When the enactment was passed, all 44 state assemblymen ― 31 from PAS, 12 from BN and one from PKR were present.

Sarawak DAP then accused Sarawak PKR of not condemning Kelantan PAS for tabling the hudud law and for maintaining close ties with Sarawak PAS.

DAP’s state chapter also decided to quit PR and sever ties with PKR and PAS.

During the last statewide polls in 2011, all three PR partners DAP, PKR and PAS agreed to stand united under the loosely-formed alliance in order to face BN in straight fights in the state’s 71 constituencies.

Baru, who is also the Ba’Kelalan state lawmaker, said today the state PKR committee had instructed all 29 branches to prepare for the state elections, which could be called anytime before June next year.

He said the party has identified most of its potential candidates for the coming polls, including for seats previously contested by the DAP in the previous state elections.

“They are now moving on the ground,” he added.