Sarawak DAP Chairman Chong Chieng Jen will not defend his Bandar Kuching seat in the 14th General Election (GE14).
Instead, the three-term MP will contest in Stampin. A new face, Dr Kelvin Yii, 32, has been named to stand in Bandar Kuching.
“We have come to the decision that I will have to swap seats with Yii despite the fact that the party had announced him (Yii) as the candidate for Stampin earlier,” he said.
Chong made the announcement at the DAP Batu Kawah Service Centre on Monday. DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang, Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian and Amanah Sarawak chairman Fidzuan Zaidi were also present.
Apart from that, the party also announced Edward Luak for Serian, Mordi Bimol for Mas Gading and Donny Chiew for Bintulu.
Another new face, Paren Nyawi, 37, an accountant will be contesting in the Kapit parliamentary constituency.
Meanwhile, another three incumbents, Alice Lau (Lanang), Oscar Ling (Sibu) and Wong Lin Biu (Sarikei) will defend their respective parliamentary seats.
DAP will contest nine seats in GE14 and has given two seats, Lawas and Mukah, which they contested in GE13, to PKR as the latter has better candidates and machinery on the ground.
The following is the full list of Sarawak DAP candidates:
Parliament
- Dr Kelvin Yii (Kuching)
- Chong Chieng Jen (Stampin)
- Edward Andrew Luwak (Serian)
- Madi Bimol (Mas Gading)
- Tony Chan Yew Chiew (Bintulu)
- Alice Lau (Lanang)
- Oscar Ling (Sibu)
- Wong Lin Biu (Sarikei)
- Paren Nyawi (Kapit)
– NST