KUCHING, May 17 — Calling it a “politically smart move”, Sarawak DAP leaders believe the state's Chinese voters may now see the Barisan Nasional (BN) government positively after its RM1 million aid to cancer-stricken Wong Ho Leng.

Caught by surprise at the unexpected humanitarian gesture, state DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen offered rare praise to the BN government for agreeing so quickly to help out an ailing political foe burdened with a hefty medical bill.

“It is good that the government subsidised Wong's medical bill and made a very swift decision. It would help the family a lot. We are thankful for that,” the Bandar Kuching MP told The Malay Mail Online yesterday.

Ho Leng, 54, was diagnosed with brain cancer by Australian neurosurgeons in 2012 and underwent treatment at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, racking up a medical bill of S$570,000 (about RM1.5 million).

The third-term Bukit Assek assemblyman was discharged from the Singapore hospital on April 27 and returned to his Sibu hometown where he continued receiving treatment at the Rejang Medical Centre. But he fell into a coma on May 2 and remains unconscious.

Chong said he helped submit Ho Leng's medical bill to Sarawak Assembly Speaker Datuk Amar Asfia Awang Nassar on Thursday and the state approved the RM1 million financial aid the very next day.

Pelawan assemblyman David Wong shared Chong's view and applauded Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, whom he noted “has extended his arms to the Chinese community in the state”.

But David also suggested that the BN, in its altruistic gesture, may also have weighed the benefits of offering such aid to a political opponent in the public eye.

“That is a politically smart move,” he said.

“We DAP look at it this way, without a strong DAP presence here, it could have been different. However, we remain with our stand not to allow Umno into Sarawak,” David added.

The 13-party BN coalition maintained its hold on power in the 2011 Sarawak election and again in the general election last year.

But its non-Malay/Bumiputera components suffered a serious drubbing, especially in cities where sizeable proportions of Chinese voters have been withdrawing their support in recent years, including in Sarawak.

During the Sarawak legislative assembly sitting last week, Chong advised the state government to adopt fairer policies and not through blackmail by withholding development, if it hoped to coax the Chinese back.

“If the chief minister wishes to win the hearts of the Chinese community to support BN, it is not through threats that the Chinese will be marginalised in the state planning policy.

“These threats will not be well received by the community,” Chong, who is also the state lawmaker for Kota Sentosa, was quoted saying by news portal Malaysiakini on May 8.