A MARRIAGE of convenience hastily arranged between two opposition parties with vastly differing goals could come apart by the end of the nomination process at noon today.

The two partners in the so-called Gasak coalition, Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) and Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi), are set to clash in two seats – Dayak-majority Bukit Semuja and in Dudong, which has a sizeable number of Dayak electorates.

PBDSB is a race-based party that champions Dayak rights while Aspirasi is a state rights party seeking a referendum on Sarawak’s association in Malaysia.

PBDSB president, Bobby Williams, is nonchalant about a possible bust-up.

He said there should not be a problem between the two parties as “nothing was official”.

“(There’s only a) verbal understanding; no official collaboration. Gasak is not officially registered (as a coalition),” Williams said.

He said the two parties would try not to clash where possible but in the event they did, “may the best man wins”.

PBDSB is fielding 16 candidates in the elections, in Opar, Bukit Semuja, Gedong, Bukit Begunan, Balai Ringin, Ngemah, Dudong, Pelagus, Katibas, Bukit Goram, Murum, Samalaju, Senadin, Marudi, Telang Usan, and Batu Danau.

The side show from the two parties aside, the stage is set for the election which on Dec 18 with Gabungan Parti Sarawak looking a good bet to recapture the state.

Nomination for the Sarawak elections opens at 9am today in 82 centres.

The elections will be unlike previous polls, not only because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but also because Sarawak is one of two states – the other being Kelantan – still in phase 3 of the national recovery plan.

 The GPS charge is led by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg, whose move from the comfort of Satok to the rural seat of Gedong could land him in a five-cornered fight.

Pakatan Harapan had allocated the seat to Amanah but the party had not disclosed who they will field to stop Abang Johari seeking his ninth term in the state legislature and mostly importantly his own mandate.

Abang Johari was the Satok rep for eight and a half terms.

Pro-independence Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) is fielding Tomson Ango, PBDSB Lingga Atok, and PSB businessman Mohamad Sofian Fariz Sharbini.

The incumbent for Gedong is the 68 year-old former assistant minister of international trade and industry, industry terminal and entrepreneur development. (who is this incumbent?)

Sarawak United People’s Party’s (SUPP) Dr Sim Hui Kian will face at least three challengers in his defence of Batu Kawah.

DAP has picked a young, rising star in Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii to challenge Sim.

PKB and Aspirasi have also named candidates to contest this mixed seat on the fringe of Kuching city with Aspirasi naming former DAP assembyman for Pujut Fong Pau Teck.

Fong was sacked by DAP in 2013 for “going against the party” in the 2013 general election.

He was found guilty of having defied the state committee’s decision to field a candidate for the Miri constituency in the GE13.

Sarawak DAP supremo Chong Chieng Jen’s move to his new seat of Padungan could see him in a four-way fight.

Chong faces the hard working Kuching North City mayor and GPS candidate, Wee Hong Seng, probably Chong’s toughest opponent.

Another party president, Aspirasi’s Lina Soo is trying her luck in Padungan this election, having contested in Batu Lintang in the last.

PKB is banking on Raymond Thong to wrest the seat whose incumbent, Wong King Wei, had decided not to defend the seat after quitting DAP amidst a report of a major fallout with Chong.

DAP is contesting in all the 27 seats they were allocated by PH, while PSB, seen as another major opposition party had named several former Barisan Nasional / GPS elected representatives in the lineup the party released yesterday.

They include Dr Tiki Lafe, the former Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) MP for the Mas Gading constituency from 1999 to 2013 whom PSB is fielding in Tasik Biru, former Sri Aman MP and deputy home affairs minister Masir Gujat, former Lubok Antu MP William Nyallau Badak, former Selangau MP and minister in the prime minister’s department in Najib Razak’s administration, Joseph Entulu Belaun, and Sylvester Entrie Muran, the former SPDP assemblyman for Marudi.

PSB president Wong Soon Koh will defend his Bawang Assan seat for the seventh time and he could face up to four challengers, including GPS’ Robert Lau Hui Yew, and a couple of women in Amy Lau of DAP and Michelle Ling of PKB.

The adjacent seat of Dudong is also under the microscope as speculation is that it could have as many as nine candidates.

The incumbent, PSB’s Tiong Thai King, is not seeking re-election. PSB has nominated Wong Hie Ping to defend the seat. – December 6, 2021.