By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Sept 10: Santubong MP Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar believed that it would be better to hold the 15th General Election (GE15) and the upcoming 12th Sarawak Election (PRN12) at the same time.
He opined that the chances of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) winning the PRN12 were higher because there would be less interference from political parties from Peninsular Malaysia.
“I think that will reduce politicking in Sarawak as well. Because they (political parties from Peninsular Malaysia) are busy with their own constituencies all over the country, they will reduce politicking here (in Sarawak),” he said during a press conference after presenting minor rural project (MRP) grants to associations for the Santubong Parliament constituency at Santubong Parliament service centre here today.
Wan Junaidi asserted that the current political landscape of the federal government administered by the Perikatan Nasional (PN) was different compared to the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
Therefore, he believed that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin might call for an early snap poll to seek a fresh mandate from the people.
On the PRN12, he said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg will have a discussion with Muhyiddin to inform the latter about the timing of the state election.
When asked by reporters whether political parties within the PN coalition such as Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (Pas) or Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) might contest against GPS at PRN12, he opined that their move would only disrupt GPS.
He said any political party contesting against GPS in Sarawak was considered the opposition.
Nonetheless, Wan Junaidi who is Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister believed that Peninsular-based parties would not win over the voters in Sarawak, observing that Pas and Bersatu had failed to make inroads to capture the majority of the voters in Sarawak even though they had contested in Sarawak state election in the past.—DayakDaily
