SARAWAK Deputy Chief Minister James Masing today said he believes state elections will be held later this year, fanning rumours of snap polls.

“I cannot confirm because I am not the chief minister but my guess is, the election will be held this year,” Masing told journalists after disbursing minor rural project (MRP) grants at his office this afternoon.

He was asked to comment on speculations that some Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) assemblymen have been telling their close confidants that the election would be this year.

The state’s ruling coalition is made up of four Sarawak parties – Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

Masing said the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition’s dire situation meant it is likely that state polls will be held sooner rather than later.

The PH federal government collapsed after Bersatu quit the coalition and took 10 former PKR lawmakers with them.

Several state assemblymen of the usually solid DAP have also defected to the Perikatan Nasional coalition of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

“They (PH) are in disarray. They have yet to get themselves together so it’s the best time to go after them.”

Masing, who is PRS president, said delaying the state polls will give PH time to regroup.

“Once they get united, we’ll have a tougher fight,” he said, reiterating that it is the right time to call for snap polls.

Masing said the fourth year is also traditionally the time when the state government kicks into high-gear and prepares to seek a new mandate from the people, and it is sheer coincidence that PH is in disarray.

“This year is the fourth year and this is the time that we get ourselves ready. So it fits in nicely.”

Masing said PH has also lost its grassroots machinery to reach voters, especially in rural areas, when the federal government fell.

These include the contentious Federal Village Community Development Council, better known by its Malay initial MPKKP, which was formed to compete with the state’s Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK).

Masing said the MPKKP would “only disunite the longhouse community and villagers, which is very unhealthy.”

He added that Bersatu and PAS, which GPS is working with, should also stay out of the Sarawak polls so the state coalition can focus on the opposition.

“I hope they will not contest since we’re in the same longhouse now. We shouldn’t be fighting with each other, so our fight will most likely be with PKR and DAP.” – March 11, 2020.