KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has a high chance of wresting back control of the Selangau, Julau and Lubok Antu parliamentary seats in the 15th General Election (GE15), said a political analyst.
The three seats―allocated to GPS member Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS)―were lost in GE14 in 2018.
Universiti Malaya’s Associate Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said apart from GPS’ landslide victory in last year’s Sarawak polls, PRS leaders and members were now able to compromise and put the party’s interests first.
“In the recently-concluded PRS triennial delegates conference, all party posts, including the presidency, were uncontested…which assured that there isn’t any major internal crisis in the party.
Besides, Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum has also taken over the helm of the party after vice-president Datuk John Sikie Tayai decided not to challenge for the post,” he told New Sarawak Tribune.
Without the tussle over the presidency, he said PRS could now focus on GE15 preparations thoroughly and systematically as the party did not have to deal with conflicts this time around.
Prof Awang Azman said the real reason for PRS’ defeat in 2018―losing three out of six seats they contested in―was actually due to the dismissal of its supreme council members before the polls.
Among those who were sacked were then deputy president Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun, who was also Selangau incumbent, and supreme committee members Datuk William Nyallau Badak (Lubok Antu incumbent), Nyempah Sabot, Edward Kurik and Adriana Chumang.
“PRS has learned from the embarrassing defeat because it should not have happened if they had prioritised the party’s interests instead of in-fighting.”
He said GPS could win back Lubok Antu – however, the coalition must ensure it only nominated a loyal and winnable candidate.
PRS, he stressed, must be cautious with Lubok Antu MP Jugah Muyang’s intentions or application to return to PRS – the party he had joined before contesting as an Independent candidate in GE14.
“If GPS allows him (Jugah) to return, it will make the ruling coalition look bad as it is accepting someone who had quit or betrayed PRS when the party was weak.
“He (Jugah) wanted to return as GPS is in a stronger position now and he realised he might not be able to retain his seat as an Independent this time around,” reckoned Prof Awang Azman.
Meanwhile, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Deputy President Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah had also recently urged members of all GPS component parties to give their fullest support to PRS in winning back Selangau in the coming general election.
He said the rural Iban majority seat was won by Baru Bian from the PKR before ditching it to join a local opposition party, Parti Sarawak Bersatu.
“The people of Selangau are left in the lurch now when they need developments and progress the most because of the mistake they had made. Let us help GPS win back the seat in order to help them,” he said.
