KUCHING, May 3, 2013: With two days more to polling day, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is confident of winning 12 to 16 parliamentary seats in Sarawak, Sarawak DAP secretary Chong Chieng Jen told reporters today.
“I will not name the seats that we are confident of winning,” he said when pressed to name the seats at a press conference.
“After 12 days of campaigning, it is quite clear what the rakyat want. The trend is that PR is going to win 12 to 16 seats,” he added.
Chong, who is defending his Bandar Kuching seat, said that the projection to win 12 to 16 seats is based on the positive feedback from the ground.
“Nation-wide, I feel it is a matter of days when PR comes to power and a change in the federal government. I am telling you that the change is just two days away,” he said confidently.
Chong, however, stressed that only four “obstacles” can stop PR from forming the next federal government.
The obstacles are:
. Illegal workers issued with blue identity cards that entitled them to register as voters;
. Foreign nationals, possessing travel documents, issued with blue identity cards that entitled them to register as voters;
. Buying of votes; and
. Gambling on the election results.
He said illegal workers and foreign nationals are deciding factors in hotly contested seats, especially in Selangor and Sabah, and this could work in favour the Barisan Nasional.
“As for buying of votes, it has a great influence in deciding the results of the rural areas while gambling or betting can influence the outcome of the results in the urban seats,” he said.
He said the people want a change in the government “so the people can expect a change to take place in two days’ time,” he said.
Chong called on the people, especially PR supporters, to come out in full force and be part of a history.
He said by coming in full force to come and vote, the people can counter the underhand tactics of the Barisan Nasional of using various means, like giving illegal workers and foreign nationals the blue identity cards so they can register as voters.
“Every vote counts in this election,” he said, adding that election is a serious matter because it determines the future direction of the country and decides who will form the next government.
He said that a change in government means an end to corruption, an end to race-based policies and a creation of a two-party system in Malaysia.
“The creation of a two-party system is important because it provides check and balance.
“The two-party system also helps to prevent corruption and abuse of power. If the people are not happy with the government they have elected because of corruption and abuse of power, then they can change the government with another one in the next election,” he said.
“With the system in place, the government of the day will not abuse its power as what the BN government has been doing over the last 55 years,” he said.
“Therefore, we must come out in full force. We are almost there (forming the federal government),” he added. By Sematong Express.
