Exit Sarawak or forget about forming next govt, PN told

Exit Sarawak or forget about forming next govt, PN told

A political analyst says being on good terms with GPS will likely increase cooperation with Perikatan Nasional after GE15.


PETALING JAYA: Perikatan Nasional (PN) should pull out of Sarawak now if it harbours any hope of forming the next federal government, says a political analyst.

National Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir said it was clear that the dominant Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) had no intention of yielding any seat in the state to any federal-based party in the next general election (GE15).


PN lynchpin Bersatu has two MPs from Sarawak in Ali Biju (Saratok) and Willie Mongin (Puncak Borneo), who defected from PKR. Questions have been raised over their future with GPS looking to contest their seats.

“No one can form the federal government on their own. Even Barisan Nasional (BN), as dominant as they are right now, will need partners, especially parties in Sabah and Sarawak,” Jeniri told FMT.


Jeniri Amir.

He said being on good terms with GPS would increase the likelihood of cooperation after GE15.

“I think BN realises this and it is being realistic. That is why you haven’t seen any BN presence in Sarawak since GE14,” he said.

PN is represented in Sarawak by Bersatu and PAS, but Jeniri said neither had enough influence to stake a claim to seats in the state.

Previously, PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin said he and his GPS counterpart, Abang Johari Openg, had agreed to work together in GE15.


But Jeniri said he did not foresee GPS entering into any cooperation with PN as Muhyiddin was no longer the prime minister and so there was little incentive for GPS to do so.

“To me, if PN wants to prepare for GE15, it should make it clear that they won’t clash with GPS. It would be even better if they were to quit Sarawak altogether and focus on the peninsula.”

As for Ali and Willie, he said, it would be unlikely that they would be picked by GPS to defend their seats even if they joined the coalition.

Awang Azman Pawi.

“So, I think the prospects of them defending their seats do not look good, regardless of whether they take on GPS or join the coalition,” he said.

Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Awang Azman Pawi shared similar sentiments, saying it was unlikely that GPS would want to cooperate or compromise with federal-based parties in GE15.

He also said any party that formed the federal government without GPS would be fragile.

“PN will not be able to challenge GPS in Sarawak and should any PN party contest in Sarawak in GE15, GPS will see it as a betrayal.

“So, if PN or any of its components still wants to contest in Sarawak, it will greatly affect ties with GPS,” he said.