KUCHING: DAP’s failure in the 12th Sarawak election last year provides strong justification why Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) is demanding to contest in Chinese-majority urban seats in the upcoming general election.
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) political scientist Associate Professor Dr Lee Kuok Tiung said DAP had lost badly in the state polls, retained only Pending and Padungan seats but losing Kota Sentosa, Pujut, Pelawan, Bukit Assek and Tanjung Batu.
“They only managed to retain the two seats in Kuching, thus, PSB has a strong justification why they are asking for the DAP traditional parliamentary seats, such as Sibu,” he told New Sarawak Tribune.
Apart from that, he said, PSB, which started life as the United People’s Party, a breakaway from the GPS component party, Sarawak United People’s Party, was obliged to contest in the Chinese-majority seats in the urban areas.
“That’s their identity, that’s their tradition,” he added.
Currently, the three state seats under Sibu parliamentary constituency are Bawang Assan (PSB), Pelawan (SUPP-GPS) and Nangka (PBB-GPS).
Dr Lee said PSB, under the leadership of Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, a seasoned politician in Sarawak, together with his comrades like Selangau MP and Ba’kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian, would be the strongest opposition in Sarawak.
In addition, PSB was also planning to form an alliance of local opposition with parties such as Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), Parti Sedar Rakyat Sarawak (SEDAR), Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) and Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) for the upcoming GE15.
On Monday, Wong told a press conference after chairing PSB’s first central committee meeting that even at age 80, he was ready to contest the Sibu parliamentary seat in GE15 to “fulfil the wishes of the party”.
“I may be elderly but I think I am most qualified to bring the voice of the Sibu people, and also Sarawak, to Parliament. I have done a lot for Sibu and hope to do more as an MP if I am elected,” he said.
Wong, who is Bawang Assan assemblyman, said having served Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Parti Sarawak governments for a total of 30 years, he was aware of what needed to be done for Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Lee said age should not be an issue as Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also won an election and became the Prime Minister for the second time at the age of 93.
In 2018, Oscar Ling Chai Yew of DAP retained the Sibu parliamentary seat by a majority of 11,422 votes in the state’s only four cornered fight.
Ling garnered 33,811 votes while BN-SUPP candidate, the late Datuk Andrew Wong Kee Yew (who was also Soon Koh’s son), polled 22,389 votes.
The two other candidates, Jamie Tiew Yen Huong of Sarawak Peace Party (Peace) polled 377 votes while Simon Tiong Ing Tung of State Reform Party (STAR) managed to secure only 176 votes. Both candidates lost their deposits.
