PAKATAN Harapan paid the price of not honouring its 14^th general election promises when the coalition lost the the Cameron Highlands by-election, said Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Jemut Masing, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and PBB women’s chief Fatimah Abdullah said for GPS could draw lessons from the Cameron Highlands by-election in the run-up to the state elections that must be held by 2021.

The three senior Sarawak leaders told The Malaysian Insight that PH candidate M. Manogaran was defeated by Barisan Nasional’s Ramli Mohd Nor because the ruling federal coalition did not keep its GE14 promises.

Masing said PH failed to realise that “a promise is a promise” despite PH’s chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad saying the election manifesto was not a holy book.

“You don’t lie just to get the people’s votes,” he said today. 

Karim, who is also Sarawak tourism, arts, culture, youth and sports minister, said the promises that PH pledged to fulfil within 100 days of taking power turned out to be empty.

“PH had promised many changes if they managed to win government… in their manifesto and within 100 days after forming the government.

“Those have become empty promises and were capitalised to the fullest by BN (in the by-election).”

Karim said there were several lessons GPS for from the by-election. 

One is choice of candidate, he said.

“Choice of candidate is very important. One just cannot claim a seat just because it’s one’s party quota and place a candidate of that party leader’s choice.”

He said fielding an Orang Asli of some standing in the predominantly Orang Asli constituency was a masterstroke by BN.

BN candidate Ramli is a retired senior police officer. PH meanwhile re-fielded their candidate who lost in the GE14, Manogaran of DAP.

While Manogaran lost by only 539 votes in GE14, he was beaten by a bigger majority of 3,238 votes in Saturday’s by-election.

Two other independents lost their deposits.

Karim said PH was “still is in the old mode” when it fielded an Indian candidate.

“And they paid the price for it. A good signal for GPS in facing the next state election,” he said.

Fatimah, the minister of welfare, community wellbeing, women, family and childhood development and GPS women chief, said the PH reversal gave GPS the “booster to work hard”.

“It gives us a booster to continue working hard and put Sarawak first. Hopefully this can be felt by the people.” – January 28, 2019.