KUCHING: The Gabungan Anak Sarawak (Gasak) political alliance has announced three new candidates to contest in the upcoming state election.
Gasak protem chairperson cum Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) president Lina Soo revealed that Alex Leong Shaow Tung will be contesting in Batu Lintang, Chan Chee Hiong in Pending, and Tan Kok Chiang in Kota Sentosa.
“These are our three leading Sarawak for Sarawakian (S4S) activists. They have been fighting for Sarawak rights since 2013, particularly the right for Sarawakians to have a referendum for self-determination,” she said at a press conference at the S4S office here yesterday.
Tan is president of the Kuching Traditional Handicraft Studies Society while Chan is its founder and former president.
It was earlier announced that Soo will be contesting in Padungan.
Meanwhile, she said that some members of the public had questioned why S4S was going political.
“We are fighting for change, so at the end of the day, we have to go to the DUN. Change can only come from the DUN, that is legal, constitutional, and peaceful,” she said in response to the queries.
According to Soo, if the newly-formed Gasak was not registered in time for the state election, candidates would decide to contest under Aspirasi or Sarawak Workers’ Party (SWP) logo – two parties registered with the Election Commission.
Gasak comprises Aspirasi, SWP, S4S, Sarawak Independence Alliance (SIA), and the deregistered Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB).
