"As from June next year, I will be entitled to the MAS half-priced ticket," he jested to indicate that he will be 55 by June 2005. By the end of the parliamentary term expected in 2009, he would be nearing 60.

Throughout his political career, Chiew had been involved in four parliamentary elections in Bintulu dating back from 1990 before achieving his peak by defeating former SNAP president Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min in the 1995 election.

SNAP wrestled back the seat through their then treasurer-general Dato' Seri Tiong King Sing in 1999 and in the recently concluded 2004 election, Chiew lost again to Tiong, now with Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) who secured a majority of 11,267 votes.

Apart from the parliamentary elections, Chiew who is currently the Kidurong state assemblyman, had also being fielded in five state elections starting from 1987 before his first in 2001, defeating SUPP's Michael Sim Kiam Hui.

In view of his age, Chiew felt that DAP needed committed second echelon leaders in Bintulu and hoped that more people and especially, young people would be joining the party to strengthen their political struggle.

"DAP is committed to the struggle for a free, democratic socialist Malaysian Malaysia based on the principle of human rights, equality, social and economic justice and founded on the institution of parliament democracy," he added.