KUCHING: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hazmah is confident of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) taking at least 28 of the 31 parliamentary seats at stake in the 15th general election (GE15).
Using GPS’s overwhelming 12th state election performance – where it won 76 of the 81 seats – as a yardstick, he said the coalition could better its 2018 GE14 victory this time around.
“If you ask me, I will want GPS to win all 31 seats. But in reality I will be disappointed if we get fewer than 28 seats as my target is 28 seats,” he told a press conference before officiating at the flag-off ceremony for the DayakDaily D’Drift 2022 event here, today (July 4).
But when asked on the remaining three seats, he declined to comment further.
“I won’t want to go into detail. But then after looking at the past state election results, we know we can make inroads into many seats.
“There are some seats that we should be able to wrest back, including Selangau, Puncak Borneo and Lubok Antu.
“Baru Bian (Selangau MP) can contest anywhere he wants, and we want to see whether he can make it to parliament this time,” he said.
Asked about the Saratok parliamentary seat, he said the Krian, Kalaka, and Kabong states under the Saratok constituency, were in GPS hands.
“If we manage to get the right candidate or if there is not too much politicking on the ground and if our machinery is good, we should be able to deliver.
“Personally, winning or losing elections – and I have been in politics for quite a while – depends how good your machinery is. You’ve got good machinery, you’ll deliver,” he said.
On Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin who has applied to join PBB, Abdul Karim said the application would be considered.
“But of course, we have to listen to those on the ground to determine who should be their elected representative.
“Since all three seats – Mambong, Serembu, Tarat are held by PBB – it will be earlier for us to determine later on,” he said.
Abdul Karim who is Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, and Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, stressed the importance of GPS remaining united and strong.
“There are only 31 seats out of 222 seats in the Parliament, we cannot break up the 31 seats; that is a very crucial number as we are now fighting to reclaim our rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“We have to be united, and if we are able to deliver 31 seats, I would say Malaya would really respect us,” he said enthusiastically.
In the 2018 election, GPS, which was then in the Barisan Nasional coalition, won 19 out of 31 seats.
The 12 seats that it lost were Mas Gading, Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sarikei, Lanang and Sibu which were taken by Democratic Action Party; Puncak Borneo, Saratok, Miri and Selangau which Parti Keadilan Rakyat won; and Lubok Antu and Julau won by Independents.
