KUCHING: Sarawak DAP will be using its ‘rocket’ logo in the 14th General Election to maximise its winning chances.
State Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the decision was made after a two-hour-meeting among DAP, PKR and Amanah, today.
However, Amanah will be using PKR’s ‘blue eye’ logo.
Chong, who is also the Sarawak DAP chairman, said people here were more familiar with the party’s signature ‘rocket’ logo and it would cause confusion if the party was to use PKR’s logo.
“The situation here is different compared to the Peninsula. Therefore, we decided to use our own logo, considering the sentiment of voters and the actual situation on the ground,” he said adding the Dap leadership had given full autonomy to the state leadership on which logo to use.
By using the ‘rocket’ logo, he said the party would maximise its chances in the nine seats the Dap planned to contest - namely Mas Gading, Serian, Stampin, Bandar Kuching, Sibu, Lanang, Sarikei, Bintulu and Kapit.
DAP were giving two seats, Lawas and Limbang -- which they contested in the last GE13, to PKR as the latter has better candidates and machinery on the ground.
“There’s no major issues or arguments in seat allocations as we have unanimously agreed that party with the best candidate (in a particular seat) will contest.
“So, we are letting PKR to stand in Mukah and Lawas this time,” he told the reporters at a press conference held at the party headquarters here.
PKR will be contesting in 16 seats and Amanah will have six seats which used to be contested by Pas.
Chong said PH Sarawak had finalised all the candidates and will only announce the name list after the Election Commission’s announcement on nomination and polling dates.
Last week, DAP party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng announced that the DAP‘s election candidates would be contesting under a single common logo, which would also be used by other Pakatan Harapan (PH) partners.
However, he said the rule would not apply to the party’s machinery in Sabah and Sarawak.
Amanah Sarawak chairman Fidzuan Zaidi said the party’s candidates in Sarawak will be using the PKR logo.
“I believe people are familiar with the ‘blue eye’ (rather than Amanah’s logo), so...that’s why,” he said without elaborating further.
PKR will be contesting in 16 seats, namely, Miri, Petra Jaya, Puncak Borneo, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Betong, Saratok, Julau, Kanowit, Mukah, Selangau, Hulu Rajang, Sibuti, Baram, Limbang and Lawas.
Meanwhile, Santubong, Kota Samarahan, Batang Lupar, Batang Sadong, Igan and Tanjung Manis will be contrasted by Amanah’s candidates.
Sarawak has a total of 31 parliamentary seats with Barisan Nasional winning 25 in the last general election, Dap (five) and PKR (one).