Make way for DAP in Batu Lintang, ‘toothless’ S’wak PKR told

Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen is the most suitable candidate to challenge incumbent See Chee How for the Batu Lintang seat, claims an analyst. The Batu Lintang constituency, which is predominantly Chinese, has historically been a stronghold for DAP, with the party having a greater appeal among the Chinese voters. In the 2021 Sarawak polls, PKR failed to win any seats, and 22 of its candidates even lost their election deposits.

James Chin of the University of Tasmania adds that DAP has a significant advantage in Batu Lintang due to its greater support from the Chinese voters in the constituency. DAP has been successful in the past, taking the seat in 2006, before PKR's See Chee How managed to retain it in 2011 and 2016. However, See was sacked from PKR in 2020 for going against the leadership, and in the 2021 polls, he managed to secure the seat for the Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) with a slim majority of 93 votes.

Analysts believe that See's chances of winning could be worse if he were to contest the seat as a GPS candidate, as opposition-leaning voters in Batu Lintang have always been pro-opposition, as seen in the 2021 state elections where the PSB emerged victorious despite a split in opposition votes. DAP must field a strong, prominent candidate to have a good chance of regaining the seat for Pakatan Harapan.