THE incumbent ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition has won the first two seats declared in the Sarawak election: Sebuyau and Belaga.

Julaihi Narawai retained his coastal Malay-majority seat of Sebuyau by taking 4,937 votes, a massive majority of 4,134, with his nearest challenger, Maxwel Rojis of Pakatan Harapan (PH), only managing to get 803 votes.

The third candidate in the three-cornered fight, Wan Chee Wan Mahjar from the pro-independence Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), managed a mere 486 votes.

The result of this constituency of 9,367 voters was declared 90 minutes after polling ended at 5pm.

Julaihi, the assistant minister of infrastructure and ports development, has represented Sebuyau for six terms since the 1991 elections.

In the last state polls in 2016, he also won in a three-cornered fight with a 2,742-vote majority.

Meanwhile, GPS’s three-term Belaga assemblyman Liwan Lagang retained his seat with a 2,245-vote majority, picking 3,552 of the 5, 032 votes cast.

In the four-horse race, Henry Usat Bit of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) garnered 1,307 votes, while John Bampa of PBK received 97 votes and independent Siki Balarik claimed 81 votes.

Unofficial results so far indicate GPS has won 21 of the 82 seats in the assembly as of 6.30pm.

Many analysts are predicting a win for the ruling coalition, which is headed by the main party Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), itself contesting 47 seats.

Other GPS partners are Parti Rakyat Sarawak (11 candidates), Progressive Democratic Party (6) and Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (18).

Opposing GPS are Parti Bumi Kenyalang (73 candidates), Parti Sarawak Bersatu (70), PH (62 candidates, with 28 from PKR, 26 from DAP and 8 from Amanah), Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (15), Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (11), Parti Sedar Rakyat Sarawak (5), and PAS (1).

There are also 30 independent candidates.

In the last elections held in 2016, PBB – which at the time led Barisan Nasional in the state – won 72 of the seats, followed by DAP (7) and PKR (3).

In the state elections in 2011, PBB (BN) won 55 seats, followed by DAP (12), PKR (3) and independent (1). – December 18, 2021.