KUCHING, Oct 1: It takes more than just the number of seats for a party to be a kingmaker in any political situation, especially following an election.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) information chief Datuk Idris Buang said a party needs to have the right chemistry with other parties to assume the role as kingmaker as well as being a party of principle and character.
As such, Idris said that Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak did not possess the criteria to be kingmaker come Sarawak election.
“A party needs to have its very basic character and principles and the fact that it is easily acceptable and compatible with contesting parties that hold substantial number of seats,” said Idris in a press statement today.
Citing the example of Sabah Election recently, Idris said kingmaker party – Party Bersatu Sarawak (PBS), had chosen to and was accepted by Perikatan National (PN), Gabungan Rakyat Sabah as well as UMNO to form the government.
Idris also cited the role of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in the Sheraton Move where it decided and was accepted to join hands with PN, UMNO and PAS to form the federal government.
“The criteria (to be a kingmaker party) among other things is, the party must be acceptable and compatible in many aspects.
“DAP Sarawak has many attributes which are not acceptable to a lot of parties in Sarawak where it showed in the 22 months stint as part of the federal government.
“One of them is how it did not really fight for Sarawak’s interests when federal government cancelled, suspended and/or shelved projects for Sarawak including the building of bridges and roads while being slow at seeing our Sarawak rights under MA63 (the Malaysian Agreement 1963) seriously being considered,” said Idris.
The Muara Tuang assemblyman also pointed out that DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng’s negative comments on Sarawak, that Sarawak will bankrupt in three years’ time, has hurt Sarawakians, and yet the statement was supported by DAP Sarawak.
Idris said that such DAP view made the party incompatible in the eyes of most parties in Sarawak.
“In other words, a king maker needs to have the right chemistry in order to jive with others.”
“DAP may not be able to play that role as its political culture which is too ingrained with Semanjung kind of opposition politics and would not be able to produce the right chemistry,” said Idris.
In a recent statement, DAP Sarawak chief Chong Chieng Jen claimed that the party would capture between 15 to 20 seats, allowing the party to be the kingmaker. — DayakDaily
