Assoc Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi
KUCHING (July 20): Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) could be on a collision course following the former’s collaboration with opposition Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), said Assoc Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi.
The socio-political analyst and academician from Universiti Malaya said he foresees the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by PDP and PSB in Kuala Lumpur on July 12 as potentially “causing problems”, especially if PDP decides to stake its claim on the state seats of Bawang Assan and Engkilili which are both represented by PSB.
This could happen if PSB leaders and members are absorbed into PDP as part of a merger, something which Awang Azman believed was “just a matter of time”.
“The MoU brings with it various implications which are very complex, particularly when Bawang Assan and Engkilili are traditionally SUPP-allocated seats.
“SUPP might not want to surrender these two seats to PDP, and negotiations between the two Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component parties would be tough. On the surface it may appear easy but in the long run, the complexities would result in anxiety and strained relationships between the two,” he told The Borneo Post.
Awang Azman added that these complexities would require PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing to use his “good wisdom” when discussing the matter of the two seats with SUPP.
“But this will only happen in the lead up to the next state election which is still more than two years away.”
Bawang Assan and Engkilili are currently represented by PSB president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and its deputy president Dr Johnical Rayong, respectively. The two seats have been traditionally contested by SUPP.
PSB secretary-general Baru Bian holds the party’s other seat, Ba Kelalan.
Awang Azman also believed that PSB leaders would “eventually” choose to be absorbed into PDP in order for them to remain politically relevant.
He said PSB leaders had indicated that they wished to have access to government allocations such as the Minor Rural Project (MRP) and Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) funds to continue serving their constituents.
“For PSB leaders and key members to remain significant and relevant in the long run warrants PSB to be absorbed into PDP because PDP is already an entrenched component of GPS,” he said.
Such allocations would enable PSB representatives to better serve their constituents and remain relevant in the eyes of their supporters, he added.
In the 82-seat State Legislative Assembly, GPS holds 76 seats through its component parties Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (47), SUPP (13), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (11) and PDP (5).
The opposition, namely PSB and Democratic Action Party, hold three and two seats, respectively. Batu Lintang is represented by independent See Chee How.
PSB was established in 2014 as United People’s Party – a splinter party of SUPP following a leadership tussle – before officially changing to its current name in 2019 after approval from the Registrar of Societies.