By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Oct 10: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) will submit its candidate list to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg this week.
Its president Datuk Joseph Salang said the party has more or less finalised its candidate list.
“We have more or less finalised our candidates, but we haven’t submitted them yet for the Premier’s consideration and endorsement.
“Anytime this week, we will submit the candidate list,” Salang told DayakDaily when contacted.
He believed that PRS would stand a fair chance in this upcoming 15th General Election (GE15), and it is also with “reasonable confidence” that his party will wrest back the lost seats.
In the 2018 14th General Election (GE14), PRS lost three seats, namely Lubok Antu and Selangau, to Parti Keadilan Rakyat’s (PKR) Jugah Muyang and Baru Bian, where the former later left to be an Independent and the latter joined Party Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).
The party also lost Julau, where Salang was the candidate, to Larry Sng, who then stood as an Independent candidate. Currently, however, Sng is with Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM).
After GE14, PRS suffered another blow when its Sri Aman MP, Datuk Masir Kujat, left the party to join PSB, though Masir did not stay put and left PSB after the Sarawak Election.
On Julau, Salang said his name was on the previous list handled over by the party’s former president, the late Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing, to Abang Johari in 2019. During that time, rumours were rife that the 12th Sarawak Election and GE15 might be held concurrently.
When asked if he would stand again to win back Julau for PRS in GE15, Salang said he would leave the decision to Abang Johari, who will consider all factors.
“Well, I do not know; it will be up to the Premier. If he thinks I am up to it, then I am ready to contest.
“I am mentally prepared for it, and I think we have done the groundwork,” said Salang.
Meanwhile, on the parliamentary dissolution announced by Prime Minister Datuk Patinggi Ismail Sabri, Salang said he respected the decision.
“The prime minister must have considered all factors. I think on his best judgement, he felt that it was appropriate for him to advise the King to dissolve Parliament,” said Salang.
PRS is one of the component parties of GPS, the ruling coalition of Sarawak. — DayakDaily
