KUCHING: Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman Chong Chieng Jen dismissed speculations that he will return to his old Bandar Kuching parliamentary seat.
He said this were merely “hearsay” and that the rumour was “unfounded”, adding that he will defend the Stampin parliamentary seat, which he won in the 14th General Election (GE14).
“Without any reasonable doubt, I will remain and contest for Stampin parliamentary seat as long as there are no major changes.
“I have no idea where the speculation came from but I would like to let you know that this is just unfounded hearsay,” he said.
He said this when asked by reporters during a press conference at the DAP headquarters here today.
Chong had served as Bandar Kuching MP from 2004 until 2018. He moved to Stampin parliamentary constituency in 2018, winning the seat in a straight fight against Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian by a majority of 14,221 votes.
Bandar Kuching’s incumbent is newcomer Dr Kelvin Yii, who won the seat in GE14 defeating SUPP’s Kho Teck Wan by a majority of 35,973 votes.
In the last Sarawak State Election, all three state seats under the Bandar Kuching parliamentary constituency – Padungan, Pending and Batu Lintang were won by opposition parties.
In the same state election, Chong had moved from his long-held Kota Sentosa state seat to Padungan, in what observers viewed then as being a safer seat. Kota Sentosa was won by Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) Wilfred Yap.
Kota Sentosa is part of the Stampin parliamentary constituency, along with Batu Kitang and Batu Kawah. All three state constituencies are helmed by GPS.
