A POLITICAL analyst anticipates “open war” breaking out among the Sarawak PKR grassroots, between those who back state leader Baru Bian and those who support party president Anwar Ibrahim.

James Chin, an expert on Asian governance at the University of Tasmania in Australia, said the forcing of the state convention to proceed today by the national leadership after the state leadership council had cancelled it was just the spark needed to ignite the situation.

“PKR supporters in Sarawak must be thinking that if the party leadership can break up in public, then there is nothing to stop them from open warfare at the branch level.”

Baru could have the upper hand in a war as he reportedly has the support of 19 of the 30 division chiefs in Sarawak, 32 of the 46 members of the state leadership council, and seven of the nine elected state representatives.

The works minister’s popularity is such that in an online poll created by a Thomas Ramose on Facebook yesterday, 65% of the 4,000 respondents said Baru would do a better job in strengthening Sarawak PKR than his reported rival, Julau MP Larry Sng.

Chin said by forcing the convention to proceed, Anwar was not only imposing his authority over the party but also making it impossible for Baru and his supporters to reconcile with Anwar.

“That is clear,” Chin told The Malaysian Insight.

“Baru Bian and gang may find it impossible to reconcile with Anwar now after a public boycott.”

The Sarawak leadership council, which Baru chairs, cancelled the convention in protest of the national PKR youth wing’s breaking of tradition in not inviting deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali to open next month’s youth congress in Malacca.

State leadership council secretary Vernon Kedit has said the convention at Pullman Miri today would be declared illegal, null and void.

Chin said a “split down the middle” could also make it difficult for PKR to pick of its candidates for the state elections, expected to take place early next year.

“Just how is PKR going to do it will be a very interesting question.”

“GPS must be thanking their lucky stars that a divided PKR will be meeting them in the coming state election.

“If I were (Sarawak chief minister) Abang Johari, I will call for the state elections as soon as possible,” Chin said.

The chief minister is in no hurry to call for elections, however, as he made clear yesterday.

Social media has been awash with posts of the infighting in PKR.

Facebook user Ken Jameson reminded PKR members that they won their parliamentary seats in the general election due to Sarawak BN infighting.

Another Facebook user, Stanley Kuat predicted that five Sarawak PKR elected reps will lose their seats in the state elections.

He urged Baru to leave PKR and form another party as staying on would negate all that he had worked for since 2008. – November 23, 2019.