A PARTI Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president has encouraged Bersatu lawmakers Ali Biju and Willie Mongin to dump their party if they are to have any realistic chance of defending their respective seats in the next general election.

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said he does not think Ali, the Saratok MP, and Mongin, the Puncak Borneo MP, could win if they contest on the Bersatu ticket or as independents.

He said Ali’s withdrawal from defending the Krian seat – the seat he had held for three terms – in last December’s state elections was a fatal mistake, which has turned the electorate against him.

Karim, who is also tourism, creative industry and performing arts minister, said the sentiment of the electorate in Sarawak now is also towards local parties.

“They (voters) don’t want them (politicians) to be with DAP, Bersatu or Umno,” he said in an interview with The Malaysian Insight.

“If they (Ali and Mongin) feel they have got Sarawak at heart, they should know what to do. They are political veterans.

“I don’t have to teach them how to manage politics.”

Karim, who described himself as “close” to Ali, said there has been some indication from the deputy energy and natural resources minister, who won the Saratok seat on the PKR ticket, on leaving Bersatu.

“Officially, there is none,” he said.

Karim said he has told them to put aside their pride and ego and make the switch.

“In politics, nothing is set in stone,” he said.

Karim said if both Ali and Mongin still feel they should belong to a national party, “then, so be it”.

Ali and Mongin had contested the parliamentary seats in the 2018 general election on the PKR ticket but were sacked by the party after the Sheraton Move, which resulted in the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.

Repeating Premier Abang Johari Openg’s Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) stand that the coalition will field candidates in all 31 parliamentary seats in the state, Karim said GPS will not make compromises for non-GPS parties in any seat.

He said if Ali and Mongin do decide to contest under the Bersatu banner, then there will be a head-on fight with GPS.

“We’ll go head on. Let the people decide,” he said.

He also said there has been no agreement between GPS and Bersatu or promises made to Ali for him to withdraw from defending his Krian seat at the last state elections.

There has been talk that Ali was promised that GPS will not contest the Saratok parliamentary seat in the 15th general election in return for the withdrawal.

Karim said GPS is unfazed by the figures of the Krian contest where Ali, despite his withdrawal, still had 1,777 people voting for him.

He came third in the four-way fight, which was won by GPS’ Friday Belik, who polled 3,885 votes to win by a majority of only 932 votes.

The other two candidates were Parti Sarawak Bersatu’s Musa Dinggat and Parti Bumi Kenyalang’s Danny Kuan.

“At one time, yes, he’s popular and strong. But, not anymore,” said Karim.

“I don’t think he will win if he were to contest (in the general election).”

He said Ali’s popularity in Saratok has taken a dive.

“If he had stayed on after putting in his nomination papers, (then) it might be a different story,” he said.

“The moment you make a little mistake, your supporters may not forgive you.” – May 22, 2022.