PARTI Sarawak Bersatu’s (PSB) first election foray on its own in the coming state polls, could upset the fight between DAP and the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) for Chinese votes, said former PKR Sarawak election director Baharuddin Mokshen.

Baha, as he’s popularly known, said PSB wanted the 16 Chinese-majority urban seats, rather than the Dayak seats most pundits think it would be after.

“The scenario is simple. PSB wants to be back in the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) fold.

“To do that, the party needs to win as many Chinese seats as possible – more than SUPP – to pave the way.

“Having more seats than SUPP will definitely gain the attention of GPS leaders who have since the administration of Abdul Taib Mahmud, to Adenan Satem and now Abang Johari Openg, have made it a point to have Chinese representation in the government,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“Despite all their talk, there is no way PSB could win the election. The state assembly has 82 seats and PBB (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu) is already holding 47 unshakeable seats.

“That’s more than half of the seats, he said.

“So their best hope is to find their way back to the corridor of power. By returning to the GPS fold with something tangible to show.”

PSB was founded in 2014 as the United People’s Party (UPP) to house SUPP members who were sacked following an acrimonious party election.

Despite the strong objection of SUPP, the party was retained in the state Barisan Nasional – and later GPS-Plus government until they were booted out in July 2019.

They got the boot after they were accused of taking in members that were sacked by other GPS parties and pinching their members.

In the last two elections – 2011 and 2016 – urban seats like Pending in Kuching have seen straight fights between DAP and SUPP.

So were the seats of Kota Sentosa – the stronghold of DAP strongman Chong Chieng Jen – and Batu Kawah, whose incumbent is SUPP president Dr Sim Kui Hian.

Occasionally, there are 3-way fights, but the third candidates are usually unknown independents or from the small pro-independence parties that do not make much impact.

However, PSB is widely seen as a party able to upset the apple cart as most political pundits see them coming to this election as a viable opposition.

“They’re well-funded and they have leaders who are well known to the people,” Baha said, alluding to its president, the state’s former second finance minister Wong Soon Koh, its Dudong assemblyman timber tycoon Tiong Thai King, Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, youth chief and Engkilili assemblyman Johnicol Rayong and even the former state PKR chairman Baru Bian, who joined the party after his sacking in the aftermath of PKR’ leadership turmoil.

With the entry of PSB, PKR and a plethora of small pro-independence parties like Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), the coalition Gasak and other independents, it could be a crowded field in the battle for urban seats, Baha said.

“No more straight fights. The least is a three-cornered fight with four could be the norm,” he added.

While Baha has dismissed the chances of the small parties and independents, he said PSB could have a significant bearing on the outcome of the contest.

“Who PSB could steal votes from would also be interesting.”

Baha said PSB could steal votes from DAP.

“DAP could be made to pay for their poor performance in the short-lived Pakatan Harapan government.”

However, in his final analysis, Baha said PSB would not achieve the objective of beating a path back to GPS.

He said SUPP is unlikely to  cede much ground.

“They will not have the right number of seats.”

He said the most PSB will win is four seats – Wong retaining his Dudong seat, See his Batu Lintang seat and two new additions.

“Not enough to shove SUPP aside and be a representative of the Chinese in the government.

“PSB will be left in the cold.” – March 21, 2021.