By Xahar Saruji
KUCHING: Today’s Progressive Democratic Party’s (PDP) supreme council meeting is seen as crucial as the impending 15th general election (GE15) – which is expected to be called this year – and the strategies to adopt, are most likely to be on top of the agenda.
Party chief Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing is riding high, especially after leading his party to a credible victory in the 12th state election last December.
PDP won five of the six seats it contested including the Dudong seat which Tiong won, despite contesting in a state seat for the first time. He secured a convincing 5,804 majority with a total of 9,390 votes, leaving his seven other contenders far behind.
In the coming GE15, Tiong is expected to press for more seats. In the 2018 polls, his party contested four seats – Bintulu, Baram, Saratok and Mas Gading. PDP won Bintulu and Baram through Tiong and Anyi Ngau respectively, but lost Mas Gading and Saratok.
This time around, the party has a good chance of taking back Mas Gading and Saratok. With Tiong strongly emphasising a multi-ethnic and multi-religious stand – and not forgetting his emphasis on youth – PDP is set to be more appealing to the masses.
Said a youth party member: “PDP is slowly transforming itself into a more diverse and multiracial party as it looks to the future. This is a way forward for our party.
“Public perception about PDP is slowly changing … at one time it’s seen as a party led by a Chinese and run by the natives. But things are different now.
“The party under Datuk Seri (Tiong) is changing, slowly but surely. He is making efforts to bring all ethnic groups, including Malays and Melanaus, and this is a good move. He wants to make the party truly multiracial and multicultural.
He said a party that was predominantly dominated by one race “might not be suitable for the future … times are changing and politics should change too.”
The member noted that the measures taken by the party leadership were making PDP more appealing to the younger generation, adding that it was a sign of good things to come.
Amidst talk of multiracialism in PDP, there is speculation within the leadership that a Muslim candidate could possibly be fielded in GE15.
A veteran PDP observer felt there was a possibility of a PDP Muslim candidate this time around.
“It doesn’t matter if he is a Melanau or a Malay. If the party goes ahead and fields either a Malay or Melanau candidate, it will be creating history.
“Tiong will be seen as a man who walks the talk. He will be one step ahead of SUPP and PRS if he fields a Malay or a Melanau,” said the observer.
GPS is made up of PBB, SUPP, PRS and PDP.
Whether PDP will field a Malay or Melanau candidate in GE15 depends on the top leadership. And will today’s supreme council touch on it? Let’s wait and see.
