Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) will not field a candidate for the Saratok parliamentary seat in the coming 14th General Election (GE14).
According to PBDSB president Cobbold John, the party will instead support Ali Biju who is expected to contest the seat as a PKR candidate.
Cobbold pointed out that Ali is not only a Dayak, but a very capable leader who champions the rights of Dayaks in the state.
“He is a person who is vocal in championing the rights of the Dayak people. If he is elected as Saratok MP, he will be the voice of the Dayak people who are not satisfied with the policies of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government,” he told reporters yesterday.
Hence Cobbold hoped that Ali would win Saratok seat in the coming GE14 and wished him all the best.
During the previous General Election (GE13), Tan Sri William Mawan won the seat with a 2,081 majority, defeating PKR’s Ali and independent candidate Datuk Abang Rosli Abang Paleng in a three-cornered fight.
Meanwhile Cobbold lambasted Basil Thomas, an individual who is said to be lobbying to contest for the Saratok seat under the BN ticket for saying that the land issue in Sarawak is a game played by opposition parties.
He explained that the land issues in the state were real issues and not a game played by the opposition party to garner votes from the Dayak community especially in the state.
“Up to now, there are around 400 land cases which are still awaiting trial in court. How could anyone claim that the issue is just a game played by the opposition?”
“The government and companies are fighting with land owners especially from the Dayak community even though the lands are rightfully owned.
“The Dayak community in Sarawak are really having a hard time holding onto the lands they own,” he said.
Having said that, Cobbold hoped the people of Sarawak, especially the Dayak community, choose wisely during GE14 and make sure they know who are the people who fight for and champion the rights of the Dayaks.
Source : The Borneo Post Online
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