LABUAN PKR WANTS TO TAKE ON UMNO

By : SOHAN DAS (DE)

PARTI Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), which has been around here since 1999, is seeking to make an electoral debut on the island in the coming 13th General Election.

The party feels the time is now ripe for it to take on Umno though Labuan is regarded as a Barisan Nasional (BN) stronghold as PAS, the traditional local foe of the BN, was trounced in the last three general elections.

Speaking in a press conference here Monday, Labuan PKR Chief, Samsuddin Sidek, said:

"We have written to party President Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on Oct 9, 2011 spelling out the reasons why we should be given the opportunity to contest in Labuan and replace PAS, another Pakatan Rakyat (PR) component."

Samsuddin said although PAS is a good party, it has limited influence and acceptance in Labuan because "it is not suited to the local economic and social situation".

He pointed out that the greater majorities enjoyed by the BN in the last three general elections showed a declining support for PAS here.

Citing statistics to support this, Samsuddin said in the 1990 election, Umno won with a majority of 6,515 votes, against PAS' 1,318 votes in a three-cornered fight.

In 2004, Umno won with a majority of 7,901 votes, against PAS 3,186 votes in a two-cornered fight and in the last election, Umno collected 8,457 votes, the biggest ever so far, while PAS collected only 1,106 votes and lost its deposit in a three-cornered fight.

Samsuddin said PKR stands a good chance to win this time under the PR ticket because it enjoys broader acceptance and is popular especially among the younger voters.

In the last general election (2008), the voter turnout was the least compared to the previous elections. Out of the total of 22,006 voters, only 63.17 per cent cast their votes.

Responding to a question on what will happen if Labuan falls to PKR but Putrajaya remains under BN control, Samsuddin said this would not be a problem for Labuan, citing the success story of Penang, which is under the DAP rule, as an example.

He said voters want transparency, accountability and fair governance.

"Moreover, Labuan is an International Business and Financial Centre and an oil and gas hub, and the continued progress of the island could not be ignored," said Samsuddin.

On PKR's plans for Labuan if it wins the election here, Samsuddin said priority would be given to locals with qualifications to head agencies on the island because "locals are in a better situation to understand local circumstances".

He said Labuan has been a Federal Territory for 27 years and "we could accept during the first 10 years that there were not enough qualified locals, but the situation is different now."

He added that PKR would also ensure that locals stand a better chance to tap opportunities in the oil and gas hub.

PKR made its first appearance here in 1999, with Rozaini Mohd Rosli aspiring to contest but was unable to do so because the party was then under Barisan Alternatif which stood firm on its formula of one against one to avoid vote splitting.

The other members of the Barisan Alternatif were PAS, DAP and PRM, while PBS wanted federal opposition parties to focus in the peninsula.

In the 1990 election, PKR gave all its support to PBS candidate Haji Asbullah Mohd Salleh, a former Land Office clerk.

In the subsequent elections, PKR kept a low profile.

In the 2008 election, a surprising performance was by an Independent candidate, Lau Seng Kiat, despite losing.