KUCHING: As Sarawak’s political temperature gradually rises ahead of the next state election, growing speculation suggests Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) may swap some seats.
Among the seats frequently mentioned in political circles are Batu Lintang and Kota Sentosa, with talk that DAP could contest Batu Lintang while PKR takes Kota Sentosa.
Should such an arrangement materialise, it may also trigger a significant leadership move by Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who is widely rumoured to be considering moving to Batu Lintang while allowing another DAP leader to defend Padungan.
Batu Lintang presents an intriguing scenario. The constituency is currently represented by Independent assemblyman See Chee How, who won the seat in 2021 under Parti Sarawak Bersatu(PSB).
See polled 6,113 votes and secured a commanding majority of 3,137 votes in a five-cornered contest.
A veteran opposition figure, See first captured Batu Lintang under PKR in 2011 before successfully defending it in 2016.
This means he has held the seat for three consecutive terms. Despite resigning from PSB and serving as an Independent, he has maintained visibility within the constituency and worked closely with the state government to secure development projects.
His pragmatic approach has helped him retain support among moderate voters who prioritise constituency service over party affiliation.
However, if DAP enters Batu Lintang and fields a heavyweight such as Chong, the contest could become one of the most closely watched battles in Kuching.
DAP enjoys a strong organisational machinery in urban areas and has consistently performed well among Chinese-majority voters.
Chong himself possesses extensive name recognition after serving as Member of Parliament for Stampin and previously representing Kota Sentosa in the State Legislative Assembly.
The question would be whether Chong’s personal appeal and DAP’s machinery could overcome See’s entrenched grassroots network and reputation as a hardworking constituency representative.
Meanwhile, Kota Sentosa may emerge as PKR’s best opportunity to regain a foothold in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly.
The seat is currently held by SUPP’s Wilfred Yap, who achieved a major breakthrough in 2021 by defeating DAP’s Michael Kong and three other candidates. Yap secured 5,806 votes and a majority of 1,683 votes, ending DAP’s 15-year hold on the constituency.
Before Yap’s victory, Kota Sentosa was represented by Chong Chieng Jen for three terms, from 2006 to 2021. His departure to contest Padungan created an opening that GPS successfully exploited.
Since becoming assemblyman, Yap has worked aggressively on local infrastructure issues, public amenities and constituency engagement.
His active presence on the ground has strengthened his standing among voters and made him one of SUPP’s rising leaders.
For PKR, challenging Kota Sentosa would be a difficult task. While the party once enjoyed support through figures such as See, it currently lacks a candidate with Chong’s profile or DAP’s organisational strength.
Both DAP and PKR are component parties in Pakatan Harapan. Thus, swapping seat with DAP could allow PKR to not only have the backing of DAP supporter but also concentrate resources and present a more focused challenge.
Whether these coffee shop rumours eventually translate into formal seat negotiations remains uncertain.
Yet one thing is clear: any DAP-PKR electoral understanding involving BatuLintang and Kota Sentosa would significantly alter the political landscape of Kuching and could determine whether the opposition remains competitive against the well-entrenched GPS machinery.
CAPTIONS: Use mugshots of See and Chong.
