KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 — Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen has admitted that there is “zero possibility” for the opposition to take over the state in the upcoming elections, but said focus was on denying the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) a two-thirds win.
“No question Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem will still be in charge after the election. But absolute power corrupts,” he was reported saying by The Star daily today.
“To have balance means Adenan cannot implement whatever he wishes to do.”
“The focus should be to enhance the strength of the opposition,” he reportedly added.
In the 2011 Sarawak election, DAP won 12 of 15 seats, a feat that caused a major dent in BN’s armour in what was traditionally known as the pact’s fixed deposit state. Its political ally PKR won three out of the 49 state seats it contested.
With the recent addition of 11 seats in the state, the opposition will have to win 28 out of the 82 seats to deny BN the two-thirds majority.
The new opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan is expected to discuss its seat allocations soon, but have previously expressed that it would be contesting in all 82 seats.
PAS, which no longer aligns itself with DAP and PKR, had also recently announced that it would be contesting in 11 seats. In 2011, the Islamist party lost in all five seats it contested in.
