By Nancy Nais
KUCHING, Dec 15: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) does not have what it takes to overthrow the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government on their own, says Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen.
Throughout the history of Sarawak, Chong said the Ming Court affair in 1987 was by far the closest the Opposition in Sarawak came to toppling Barisan Nasional (BN).
“At that time, four state ministers and three assistant ministers resigned from their posts and stood against BN together with 20 other state assembly incumbents (ADUN). It had a chief minister designate in Tun Datuk Patinggi Abdul Rahman Ya’kub and yet, they failed.
“On the other hand, compared to the present PSB, this party only has one minister from GPS who quit and leads the party together with four other ADUNs fighting against the current ruling government. We are in the final few days of the campaigning period and yet, PSB still cannot name a chief minister candidate,” Chong said at a press conference today.
He added that furthermore, PSB only contested in 70 seats, thus already conceding 12 seats to GPS, thus if Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) could not do it back in 1987, then PSB will have an even lower chance of doing it in 2021.
At the Federal level, Chong said although the Opposition managed to change the Federal government, it was due to the build-up from two general elections in 2008 and 2013.
“We managed to deny the BN of its two-third majority in Parliament. In Sarawak, the Opposition has not even once denied the BN or GPS its two third majority in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).”
As to his opinion of what will happen to PSB after the election, he opines that they may win some seats and jump over to GPS, as proven in Sarawak’s political history.
Chong asserts this is most likely to happen as most PSB candidates have their roots in GPS.
He explained that the history of Sarawak’s politics have shown that few local-based opposition parties that have done well in the past elections, including having their elected representatives joining BN after the elections.
“For example, SUPP was once an Opposition party. In 1970, it won 12 out of 48 seats, then joined BN after the elections.
“In 1974, SNAP as the Opposition, won 18 out of 48 seats. It also joined BN after the elections.
“In 1987 (during the Ming Court affair), PBDS as the Opposition won 15 out of 48 seats. It then stood again as the Opposition in 1991 but only won seven out of 56 seats. Then PBDS also joined BN,” Chong said.
Chong concluded that no matter how strong a party was at one point in time, it will join the ruling party at the end of the day.
He also cautioned voters that a vote for PSB may most likely become a vote for them to join GPS after the election, meaning ‘a wasted vote’.
Chong therefore asked voters not to split the votes amongst the Opposition parties this Dec 18, instead, they should continue to rally behind DAP to form a stronger Opposition in Sarawak Legislative (DUN). — DayakDaily
