By Natasha Jee & Nur Shazreena Ali
KUCHING: The position of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) at the helm of the state government is unshakeable, a political analyst Prof Dr Jayum Jawan Empaling said.
“Neither Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition nor Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) will succeed in taking it down,” he said.
The Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Human Ecology Faculty deputy dean said in fact both PH and PSB had overestimated their strength and appeal.
“Leaders of both parties are too arrogant. Both think that they are formidable opponents of GPS,” he said when asked to comment PSB’s decision to contest all 82 seats.
PSB has declared that it is sticking to its decision to contest in all 82 state seats after PH Sarawak proposed a seat allocation ratio of 70:30 between PH component parties and PSB.
Jayum said it would remain a formidable task to topple GPS even with the strength of PH Sarawak and PSB combined.
“GPS will remain the ruling coalition after the 12th state election. I believe so… there’s no indication thus far that the ruling coalition will lose the coming state election,” he added.
He also believed that the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) would be able to get more support on the ground this time around.
“Number one, the Chinese voters will punish the Democratic Action Party (DAP) for its failure to make good on some of its pre-election pledges.
“Secondly, SUPP president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian is working hard to regain the support of the Chinese and so too are some of his lieutenants on the ground,” he said.
Last Sunday, PH Sarawak chairman cum state DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen proposed the 3+3+3+1 formula for the seat allocation between PH and PSB.
This means that DAP, PKR and PSB would each get 30 percent of the seat and the remaining 10 percent for Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah).
PSB, however, rejected the formula outright and later announced that it would stick to its previous decision of contesting in all 82 state seats.
Currently GPS has 68 seats, PSB – 6, DAP – 5, PKR – 1, Bersatu – 1, and Independent – 1.
