PARTI Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) could be the largest opposition party in Sarawak’s 82-seat legislative assembly when the dust of the state elections settles tonight, political analysts said.

They said the party, formed by a group of sacked dissidents from Sarawak United Peoples’ Party seven years ago, could take over the mantle at the expense of DAP.

PSB, which is headed by an experienced politician and the oldest candidate in the elections – 79-year-old Wong Soon Koh – is fielding 70 candidates, including five ex-assemblymen who are defending their seats, while DAP has named only 26, including seven former assemblymen.

James Chin, University of Tasmania’s Asian political expert, gave three reasons why PSB, which started life as United People’s Party before rebranding in 2018, will win more seats than DAP.

He pointed to Wong’s knowledge of every nook and cranny of the state political scene, accumulated over three decades when he was with the then Sarawak Barisan Nasional Plus government and later, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

“People keep forgetting that Wong has been in the Sarawak political scene for more than 30 years,” Chin said.

Wong started his public office in 1991 when he was appointed speaker of the state legislative assembly.

Chin said WSK, the initials of Wong’s name, which most Sarawak folk know him as, went on to become a senior state minister and had served under all the state’s last three chief ministers – Abdul Taib Mahmud, Adenan Satem and Abang Johari Openg.

Wong resigned as international trade and e-commerce minister and second finance minister in 2019 after GPS leaders accused his “GPS-friendly” party of undermining the harmony of the four parties in the coalition.

Chin also said PSB has the financial resources to fund its polls campaign.

It is widely speculated that the party is funded by “timber tycoons”.

Chin said for the voters, the ability of the party to match GPS in terms of flags, banners and billboards being put up and taking out print and online advertisements shows that “they have got money to take over the government”.

Chin’s third reason is the party’s candidates. He said PSB is fielding many “retired” politicians in their old stomping ground.

Among them are former lawmakers such as Tiki Lafe (Mas Gading), who last stood for an election in 2008; William Nyallau Badak (Lubok Antu) and former Parti Rakyat Sarawak deputy president Joseph Entulu Belaun (Selangau).

PSB has also recruited retired senior civil servants and put them up as candidates.

“Everything PSB does is carefully planned and heavily financed,” said Chin.

DAP and PKR in trouble

On the other hand, Chin said DAP “is in big trouble in the urban areas” in the elections.

“I hear a lot of unhappiness in the Chinese community,” he said.

Chin said in the last few elections, although the urban Chinese voters complained about DAP, they still voted for the party in the end because there were no “viable alternatives”.

He said this time around, they have PSB.

Arnold Puyok, a Universiti Malaysia Sarawak political analyst, concurred with Chin’s view that “people are looking at PSB as a better alternative”.

“If you go to the coffee shop and ask which party they are going to vote for, they will mention one colour – red,” Puyok said, in reference to the main colour of PSB.

“PSB has created an impact.”

He said DAP’s main coalition partner, PKR, will not be able to contribute to Pakatan Harapan’s hold as the biggest opposition bloc in the Sarawak assembly this time around.

He said Sarawak PKR is not the party it once was under the leadership of Baru Bian.

Baru was one of the three assemblymen who won on the PKR ticket in the last elections. The other two are See Chee How (Batu Lintang) and Ali Biju (Krian).

All three were sacked by the party last year for failing to support the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim.

The sackings triggered an exodus from the party, decimating its grassroots leadership at every level.

“Anwar did try to boost support for PKR, campaigning from one village to another, but the mood is missing,” Puyok said.

He said after Baru left, the vacuum has not been properly filled.

“There’s no strong figure to represent the party,” he added. – December 18, 2021.