S'WAK POLLS DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang hopes that Tasik Biru, a Dayak-majority seat on the outskirts of Kuching, will become a litmus test for the party in Dayak constituencies.
Lim, who accompanied DAP candidate Mordi Bimol to the nomination centre in Bau, hopes DAP will make huge strides in Dayak seats, with a Tasik Biru victory as the starting point.
"We wish to defend the 12 (Chinese majority) seats, and make a breakthrough in bumiputera seats. Tasik Biru is the litmus test," he said.
"By taking Tasik Biru, we have a chance to win Simanggang, Mulu, Murum and other bumiputera seats. Without Tasik Biru, it will be very difficult," he added.
"I am here just to stress the importance of Tasik Biru,” he said, adding that this was DAP's third political wave in the Borneo state.
According to him, the first wave – 2006 state election – saw DAP winning six state seats that led to the political tsunami in the 2008 general election.
"The second wave in the 2011 state election saw the party increasing its seats to 12 from six, which further strengthened the opposition. We had 53 percent of the votes even though we failed to change the government," he said.
"Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak only enjoyed 47 percent of the votes; he is a minority premier despite winning 60 percent of the seats," he added.
As such, he anticipated the party's third wave to bring better results in the 2018 general election.
"So this is the battle that will determine how sucessful will be the third wave and the goal of changing the government," said Lim, who is also Gelang Patah MP.
A fighter
A local-born, Mordi, 31, the special aide to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, was defeated in the 2013 general election by BN's Nogeh Gumbek.
Nogeh won the battle in a four-cornered fight, with 41 percent of the total votes, while Mordi garnered 5,293 votes.
Mordi faces BN candidate Henry Jinep.
"I am a fighter, I fear nobody," said Henry when met at the nomination centre.
Tasik Biru is non-Muslim bumiputera majority seats comprising 68.3 percent Bidayuh, and 25.4 percent Chinese.
Meanwhile, DAP's Tasik Biru campaign team accidentally crossed paths with PKR Serembu team at Bau, but there was no exchange of greetings.
Explaining later, Lim said he did not see the PKR team.
Both teams – one shouting "Ubah", while another chanting "reformasi" – met near the corner of a road after a short prayer in the DAP service centre.
PKR candidate Athina Klaywa Sim was seen in the entourage.
When the teams met, the DAP crowd turned left and headed towards a civic hall nearby, while the PKR team marched to the local district council.
The operation rooms of PKR and DAP are located on the same road.
