#PRNSarawak : PKR-DAP clash the talk of Mambong town

The rural town of Mambong, some 40 minutes south of Kuching city, is in the limelight this election as one of six seats seeing a rare clash between Opposition allies DAP and PKR.

Barisan Nasional incumbent Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (pic) is well-liked by his constituents and is seen as having a good chance of retaining his seat.

However, it is the clash between PKR and DAP that has been the talk of the town since nomination day.

Coffee shop owner Jeff Low, 36, says while he supports Dr Jerip, he sees PKR candidate Willie Mongin as stronger than his DAP counterpart Sanjan Daik.

“PKR is stronger than DAP here. I think DAP fielded a new face, who is unfamiliar to the village folk.

“Willie has done more for the people here compared to Sanjan,” he said, adding that the PKR candidate extended a lot of help to the villagers during the flash floods earlier this year.

Kampung Mambong resident County Rudin said there is little to choose between Barisan and the PKR candidates.

“We can usually see Dr Jerip and Willie in the village a lot, but no so much the DAP candidate,” she said.

Meanwhile, PKR supporter Reding Kadun expressed his frustration at the clash between the Opposition allies.

“I feel geram (upset) because we were hoping for a direct fight, but this is a democracy so anyone can contest. But we hope that people will vote for Willie,” he said.

The 52-year-old former teacher said both the PKR and DAP candidates are of Bidayuh descent, which could give them a fair share of supporters and split the votes in Barisan’s favour.

Another PKR supporter, Philip Ayan, said DAP may have an ulterior motive in fielding a candidate in Mambong.

“We should never support DAP because they have never done anything for the village, unlike Willie,” said the 59-year-old Bidayuh pensioner.

But pensioner Sakim Risut, 57, has a different view, claiming that PKR has done nothing for the villagers.

“I worked with PKR before, but do not support them anymore because their candidate left us and went to Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

He was referring to Willie, who is said to regularly commute between Kuching and Kuala Lumpur, where his family is based.

Sakim added that he supports DAP candidate Sanjan because the party “fights for all races”.