Parlimen Ampang

KUCHING: Sarawak PKR is targeting 12 parliamentary seats in the coming general election which is expected to be called soon.

“Seven of the seats have Class ‘A’ rating, and the other five are rated ‘B’,” said PKR women’s wing chief and Ampang MP Zuraidah Kamaruddin during a visit here yesterday.

Sarawak has 31 parliamentary seats, of which two – Bandar Kuching and Sibu – are held by DAP.

“I have come here to identity some of the seats that we want to contest and to carry out an inspection on potential candidates, as well as to look into our preparations,” she said.

“From what I see, we are now ready and moving. We have learnt a lot from the state elections in April, especially in contesting in the bigger constituencies,” she said.

Among the top seats near Kuching that PKR is interested in are Mambong and Stampin, she said.

“All in all, PKR may contest in 12 seats. Out of this figure, five seats may be taken by our women candidates,” Zuraidah said.

However, the final selection will be done by the national leadership, she said, adding that the party has got to look into the most winnable candidates.

“The last state election has taught us that,” she noted.

Winning over the rural voters

She also called on the members to intensify their efforts and to go to the rural areas to talk and explain PKR policies to them.

Praising the women’s wing for its ‘wajah’ programmes conducted in the rural areas, Zuraidah said: “We must get their support. It is not because they don’t want to change, but because they are too poor. It seems to them that they have no choice.

“But we must show to them they have a choice,” said Zuraidah, expressing the hope that this time around PKR hoped for a five to 10 percent swing from the rural voters.

“With this percentage of swing, it will make Pakatan Rakyat the winner,” she added.

Meanwhile, DAP, the other partner of Pakatan Rakyat, is expected to contest in 10 seats in mostly Chinese majority and some mixed constituencies.

PAS, which also a member of the coalition, is expected to contest in a number of Malay/Muslim seats.

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/08/14/pkr-eyeing-12-seats-in-sarawak-for-ge/