KUCHING, May 6 — For Stampin voters, Sarawak Barisan Nasional’s candidate for Stampin parliamentary constituency Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian’s campaign is clear.

The BN candidate is set on championing issues affecting the constituency, such as affordable housing and oil and gas rights.

His rival Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, however, is more concerned with "general issues” such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Voters here believe that Dr Sim, who is also Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president, has outlined in his manifesto on what he intends to do if he wins the seat.

Business executive Agnes Tiang says that Dr Sim is more specific on what he and his party wants for the future of Stampin, as stated in his manifesto.

"For example, he pledges to see 5,000 affordable houses in Stampin, upgrading drainage system, build district office complex and so on,” she told Malay Mail.

"His strong point is he wants to make Stampin stronger by pledging more money for the people if he is elected,” Tiang says, adding that she has not heard what Chong plans to do for Stampin if he is elected on May 9, except to get rid of GST, corruption and to increase oil and gas royalty from 5 per cent to 20 per cent for Sarawak.

Tiang says she notices the messages on the posters and billboards put up by the DAP have nothing to do with improving the livelihood of the people.

"What accusing SUPP as being Umno’s puppet got to do with the livelihood of the people?” she asks.

Lawyer Ann Teo says she cannot really comment much as she had only attended one rally organised by SUPP on the night before nomination day on April 28.

She said there was no issue brought up at the rally, only asking the people to vote the Barisan so that Sarawak could have more money and more power.

"That was the rhetoric,” Teo says.

Lawyer Shankar Ram Asnani says the GST issue, which Chong raised in his nightly rallies, is a West Malaysian issue.

"But the crucial issue (raised by Dr Sim) is to assert and stand by our oil and gas rights, which is 100 per cent belonging to Sarawak, by the use of the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO).”

Shankar said Dr Sim and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg took a stand to assert 100 per cent Sarawak’s rights over oil and gas resources under OMO.

"PH in its manifesto says if it wins GE14, they will establish a Special Cabinet Committee to study or consider the rights of Sarawak under Malaysia Agreement 1963.

"Any layman can tell that Sarawak’s rights are already stated in the Federal Constitution and therefore it is a lame excuse for PH to say they want to study or even consider Sarawak’s rights.

"PH is not being frank and in fact is trying to dodge this issue that Sarawak is entitled to its 100 per cent rights on oil and gas,” he said, adding that PH cannot come out straight on this issue because it will show that Dr Sim is correct on that point.

"The rights asserted by Dr Sim is surely very important not only to Stampin, but the whole of Sarawak,” he said.

ICT executive Alex Leong says that Chong has not come up with plans for Stampin, but instead has been using issues like GST, accusations against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and portraying SUPP as a puppet of Umno to win the voters’ support.

He says the DAP’s rallies are well attended because the people, especially the Chinese, are attracted to these issues.

"Those who attend the DAP rallies are mostly not Barisan’s supporters, and will vote for the Opposition candidates, regardless of the issues raised,” he adds.

Leong, however, says that the Bumiputeras are more concerned with local issues like how the elected representative can help them raise their living standard.

Businessman Anthony Nais says regardless of the issues raised by the Barisan or DAP, the Stampin voters have already made up their minds who they will support.

"All issues which have been raised and pursued by the DAP and PH will have considerable impact on the voters,” he adds, stating that the possibility of Chong winning in Stampin is there.

Social activist Philip Tero claims that issues raised by Dr Sim have already been raised in the 2016 state election.

"He is using stale news as his tactics to win over the ordinary people,” he says, believing that it will not work this time around.