GABUNGAN Parti Sarawak (GPS) may very well use the race card in the next state elections, said Chong Chieng Jen.

The state Pakatan Harapan chairman said there is no telling what GPS, the ruling Sarawak coalition, would do, following Barisan Nasional lynchpin Umno and Islamist ally PAS’ success in the Cameron Highlands and Semenyih by-elections, where the opposition parties played up racial and religious sentiments on the campaign trail.

“You never know,” said Chong after chairing a state DAP committee meeting in Kuching today, which discussed “in detail” preparations for the forthcoming state polls.

He said the use of race and religion to win votes heralds “a very dangerous trend in Malaysian politics”.

On PH’s loss in yesterday’s Semenyih by-election, he said the lessons learnt will be incorporated in the pact’s strategy for the Sarawak polls.

“The defeat serves as a wake-up call for national PH leaders. Among the reasons for the defeat are the unfulfilled promises made in the 14th general election, where PH swept to power.”

Now, the pact must put in more effort to ensure its election pledges are honoured, he said.

Chong, who is also Bandar Kuching MP and deputy domestic trade and consumer affairs minister, said instead of trying to ape Umno and PAS’ use of the race card to secure votes, PH should zero in on boosting the people’s welfare.

“The PH government should focus more on economic development, and issues that cut across race and religion, to improve the welfare of all people.

“PH needs to buck up. While some of the GE14 promises are impossible to deliver on, there are those that are possible, but have yet to be fulfilled.

“These are things we have to look into. We need to put in more effort to deliver on our election promises.

“Our struggle is to look after the welfare of the people, their economic well-being, education, healthcare. These are colour-blind issues.

“We will continue fighting for the delivery of these pledges. We will not succumb to using the race card.” – March 3, 2019.