Prof Datuk Dr Jayum Jawan
KUCHING (Aug 20): Local-based opposition parties will not be making waves in the next parliamentary election in Sarawak, because political stability has already been made certain under the present ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
Political scientist Prof Datuk Dr Jayum Jawan pointed this out when asked about his thoughts on the impact on Sarawak’s political scenario following the formation of Gagasan by three local political parties: Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi), Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) and Parti Sedar Rakyat Sarawak (Sedar).
“The political scenario in Sarawak is fairly stable, and always has a certainty.
“Prior to the 12th state election (in December 2021), it was said to be shaky based on the number of parties formed that were sponsored by ‘hidden hands’, and many were also aware of their identities.
“But the results of the state election proved otherwise.
“Now, the political atmosphere is basically a very smooth sailing for the ruling coalition,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
He said for the 15th general election (GE15), the situation in Sarawak was ‘not particularly worrying’ for the GPS.
“So the short answer is no, the coming together of these three parties (Aspirasi, PBDSB and Sedar) would not have much impact, if based on their popularity and support in the last Sarawak election.
“In some areas, all of their combined votes were still way far behind those polled by the GPS candidates.
“However, not to take anything away from them, the move to come together is politically strategic; a classic political strategy – as the Ibans say: ‘Enti enda alah laban siku, pesaupka’ (if one cannot do it alone, then better to team up and do it together),” said Jayum.
He also did not foresee much impact on Sarawak politics from the collaboration of Gagasan and two other local opposition parties, Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) and Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), in seat arrangements to pave the way for one-on-one contests against GPS in GE15.
“It is likely that all three partners of Gagasan would be locked in contest for Dayak-majority seats as these are always seen to be much easier to penetrate.
“This is so because any political party going for Chinese-majority seats would have a huge task to compete with the rejuvenated SUPP (Sarawak United People’s Party) and the stalwart DAP (Democratic Action Party).
“And in the Malay-Melanau majority seats, for now, any political party would not be able to unseat PBB (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu). It could be considered a victory if in any Malay-Melanau majority seats, the PBB opponents could garner enough votes to reclaim their election deposits,” he said.
Moreover, Jayum said there would not be much that the Dayaks – and the rural folks, in general – could gain from this political development involving the five opposition parties.
“(There is) nothing much.
“The Dayaks and the rural folks have not really known or heard of ‘the great things that these leaders have accomplished’. If they’re going to run campaigns on the basis of what other leaders and political parties are not doing, then they’re not offering much in terms of alternatives,” said the professor of political science at Universiti Putra Malaysia, and also a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.