Pakatan Now On Shaky Ground Abang Jo Eyes Early Sarawak State Election After Dr M Co Fail To Hang Onto Semenyih

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MIRI: The defeat of Pakatan Harapan in the Semenyih by-election has added more fuel to talk of early state elections in Sarawak
The ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government (formerly with Barisan Nasional) feels that Pakatan is on shaky ground and that GPS has a good chance to return to power in Sarawak if the 12th state elections is called now
The Star learned that Chief Minister and GPS chairman Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had directed all GPS component parties to gauge the sentiments of Sarawak voters at the grassroots levels.GPS component parties are Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP)
GPS parties were previously part of Sarawak Barisan component parties. They left Barisan one month after the coalition was defeated in the 14th General Election last year
GPS controls 72 out of the 82 state constituencies in Sarawak now
Pakatan Sarawak comprises DAP, PKR, Sarawak Parti Amanah Negara and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia
DAP has seven state seats while PKR has three
PDP secretary-general Datuk Nelson Balang Rining said Sunday (March 3) the Semenyih by-election results have stirred up excitement among GPS grassroots and leaders alike
“Pakatan is on shaky ground as the rakyat sentiments have turned against them as can be clearly seen in the Semenyih results
“Pakatan at the federal level has failed to fulfil its GE14 promises to the rakyat on many fronts
“The cost of living for example, is surging and in Sarawak, we too can see Sarawak Pakatan failing to deliver
“The Semenyih results have boosted confidence among GPS parties, that we can beat Pakatan Sarawak if there is a state election soon
“The final decision on whether to call for early dissolution of state assembly is from CM Johari,” Balang said
Balang has been touted as the GPS candidate to take on Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian who is incumbent assemblyman of Bakelalan state constituency in northern Sarawak
The deadline for the 12th state elections is June 2021
A SUPP senior party leader on Saturday also added fuel to early state polls talk
Batu Kitang state assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang, who is also SUPP assistant publicity and information secretary, said at a public function in Kuching that Pakatan is feeling the heat from the rakyat
He said Pakatan had failed to deliver many key campaign promises made during GE14
“Pakatan had promised Sarawakians 20% oil royalty and return of autonomy to the state if it won Putrajaya
“Pakatan also promised federal recognition for the UEC (Unified Examination Cert from Chinese schools)
“All these promises have not been fulfilled
“The people are losing confidence in Pakatan and if GPS calls for early state elections we can defeat Pakatan in the state polls,” he said
It is learned that Abang Johari has called on all GPS components at the branch levels in all constituencies to start pre-election ground works
THE STAR

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