PUBLIC spats over possible political cooperation between Sarawak Pakatan Harapan and the small state-based Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) should not be taken too seriously, said a political analyst.

University of Tasmania’s political expert James Chin believed the DAP-led three-party PH pact and the once Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) friendly party will eventually come to an agreement before the forthcoming state polls. 

“Right now, it’s all about positioning,” he said on the angry reaction by PSB youth yesterday.

PSB youth was upset with state DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen’s comments that PH still remained open to cooperation with “credible and genuine” opposition despite finalising the allocation of the 82 state seats among themselves – DAP, PKR and Amanah. 

PSB had last month admitted they have had “informal discussions” with DAP to avoid clashes in some urban Chinese majority seats against the ruling GPS in the state election. 

The announcement by Sarawak PH on the “final” seat allocation and giving DAP all the traditional Chinese seats seemed to indicate their talks with PSB had broken down. 

PSB youth, chaired by Engkilili rep Johnicol Rayong, had then questioned DAP’s sincerity and reliability, particularly in relation to the rash of promises the Sarawak PH had made in the last general election. 

They asked on Chong’s well-publicised promise that the PH government, if they are in power, will immediately increase the rate of the state’s oil royalty from 5% to 20% without having to beg for it.

The Kota Sentosa assemblyman had also promised to return 50% of all taxes collected in the state. 

PSB youth questioned DAP’s sincerity on its promise to get Putrajaya recognise the Unified Examination Certificate.

In their final salvo, PSB youth said they “will not be linked to a West Malaysian party” and will be launching a “full-scale battle” in the Chinese-majority seats of Chong’s Kota Sentosa seat, Pending, Padungan, Batu Kawa, Pelawan and Bukit Assek. 

Despite PSB youth’s bravado, Chin said the party and DAP were still “talking in the background”. 

“The problem is trust deficit,” Chin said in reference to PSB chairman Wong Soon Koh who was the state’s second finance minister for 15 years.

As the face of the Chinese in the multiracial cabinet, Wong had often directed his political tirade at DAP. 

Chin said the past is coming back to haunt Wong. 

“DAP just doesn’t trust PSB.” 

In the event there is no cooperation, Chin said the main areas where PSB, PKR and DAP will clash are in the PSB strongholds along Sg Rajang. – January 7, 2021.