GABUNGAN Parti Sarawak may lose up to 10 “shaky” seats, including losing one to an independent candidate, in the upcoming state elections.

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, however, said the ruling coalition will remain focused on retaining its two-thirds majority in the 82-seat state assembly.

He neither named the 10 seats nor the independent candidate, but the latter is likely state Bersatu vice-chairman Ali Biju.

All 30 independents standing in the elections are unknowns, except for Ali, who is deputy energy and natural resources minister.

Ali has also been issued a RM4,000 fine for violating standard operating procedures on nomination day on December 6. He will be defending his Krian seat, which he won on a PKR ticket in the elections in 2011.

He is one of three PKR MPs who were sacked over their role in the Sheraton Move.

One supposedly shaky seat may be Dudong in Sibu – allotted to Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), traditionally, but GPS component Progressive Democratic Party has wrestled its way to stand in the seat.

This has infuriated SUPP supporters, with James Chin, a leading commentator on politics, saying GPS has only a 50% chance of winning the seat.

However, Karim said the ruling coalition will have no problem in clinching two-thirds majority.

“It will be easy for GPS to win the minimum 55 seats… maybe it can get more.”

Karim had in a talk show earlier said the remainder of the seats will be split between two opposition parties that he considers a “threat” to GPS, namely DAP and the once GPS-friendly Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).

DAP held seven seats and PSB held six seats before the state assembly was dissolved. The former will be standing in 26 seats and the latter, 70, in the polls.

Karim dismissed seven other parties, including PKR, whom he said “will not get anything”, adding that many independents “will lose their deposits”.

The seven other parties contesting in the polls are Parti Bumi Kenyalang (73 seats), PKR (28), Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (15), Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (11), Amanah (8), Parti Sedar Rakyat Sarawak (5) and PAS (1).

He said voters do not know of these parties, which show up only during polls, and have made up their mind on who they want to vote a long time ago.

The talk show also had Universiti Malaysia Sarawak political expert Lucy Sebli Seidelson, who described the seven parties as “mushrooms springing up after rain”.

She said these parties have a low level of support, despite rebranding, and the level will remain low as they cannot engage with voters at a level similar to GPS or DAP.

“Too many new faces, many unknown. (The parties) have nothing new to offer.”

Some of these parties are using the state elections as a “testing ground for the 15th general election”, she added.

“The issue with many opposition parties is that they appear only during polls.

“Voters are saying that there is no point in casting their ballots for parties that cannot deliver basic services needed in their daily life.

“These parties may have a good, fantastic manifesto, but can they deliver more than the basic (needs such as) water, electricity, roads?

“Voters are not satisfied with having just these. They want internet connections, clean, piped, treated, fresh water and cheap electricity.”

Seidelson said the opposition will not make a dent on the quest by GPS. – December 8, 2021.