By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Oct 24: Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) Sarawak is targeting Samariang, Sebuyau and Beting Maro in the coming 13th Sarawak Election, with the party also eyeing a fourth seat in northern Sarawak.
PAS Sarawak commissioner Mohammad Arifiriazul Paijo, known as Arif Paijo, said the three constituencies had been proposed to the party’s central leadership for final approval, while the fourth seat would be announced later.
He said the additional seat would be in either the Bintulu or Sibuti parliamentary constituency, with the party still weighing several factors before making a final decision.
“For now, the three state seats are almost certain, subject to the decision of the party’s highest leadership,” he told a press conference in Kuching today.
Arif said PAS had shortlisted candidates for the three seats and its election machinery was already prepared to face the polls.
He added that the party was still discussing possible cooperation with other political parties, but would contest the three identified seats regardless of whether an alliance was formed.
“Whatever it is, these three state seats are certain for us to contest, with or without a coalition,” he said.
Arif said Sebuyau was chosen partly because it falls under the same Batang Lupar parliamentary constituency as Beting Maro, allowing PAS to strengthen its groundwork ahead of the 16th General Election (GE16), which could be held as early as next year.
“So hopefully, with the momentum we build from the 13th Sarawak Election, at least our groundwork for GE16 will already be underway, making it easier for us to move into the parliamentary contest,” he said.
On Samariang, he described it as a traditional seat for PAS Sarawak, noting that it was among the first constituencies contested by the party in the State.
“Samariang is actually our traditional seat. The first time we contested in Sarawak, one of the seats was Samariang,” he said, adding that the constituency would provide a platform for PAS to bring its aspirations and views on Sarawak issues to the State Legislative Assembly.
Beting Maro, meanwhile, remains a key focus for PAS, with the party having an established grassroots network in the constituency. Arif said it had 1,423 registered members and eight branches covering almost all villages in the area.
He said PAS had continued its community service and organisational work since the 2021 State Election, adding that the party would leave the outcome to voters.
“We have done our work, and the rest is up to the voters,” he said.
Asked whether PAS would align itself with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) or sit on the opposition bench if it won a seat, Arif said the party would announce its position when the time came.
He also said PAS Sarawak was drawing encouragement from the party’s recent electoral breakthrough in Sabah, where it won its first State seat in Borneo.
Although Sabah and Sarawak shared the same island, he acknowledged that political acceptance and cultural differences meant the same approach might not necessarily produce the same results in both States.
He said PAS Sarawak, which was approaching its 30th year, had learned from its counterparts in Sabah, who had about a decade more experience.
PAS has contested Sarawak State elections since 2001 but has yet to win a seat.
The party fielded candidates in three constituencies in its first outing in 2001 — Samariang, Sadong Jaya and Beting Maro — before contesting only Beting Maro in 2006.
In 2011, PAS contested five seats: Tanjong Datu, Muara Tuang, Sadong Jaya, Sebuyau and Beting Maro.
In the 2016 State Election, PAS expanded its contest to 11 seats: Samariang, Pantai Damai, Muara Tuang, Sadong Jaya, Sebuyau, Beting Maro, Kakus, Jepak, Samalaju, Lambir and Pujut.
However, the party scaled back to just Beting Maro in the 2021 State Election, where Arif Paijo garnered 2,058 votes but lost to incumbent Razaili Gapor of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS-PBB), who retained the seat with 3,769 votes.
PAS Sarawak currently has about 8,000 to 10,000 members Statewide, including more than 1,000 under Dewan Himpunan Pendukung PAS (DHPP).
Also present at the press conference were PAS central working committee member and Jerantut MP Khairil Nizam Khirudin, Karambunai assemblyman Datuk Dr Aliakbar Gulasan, PAS Sarawak deputy commissioner I Rashidi Halun, and PAS Sarawak information chief Hamdan Sani. — DayakDaily
