KUCHING: It may be good and wise for Pakatan Harapan (PH) not to contest in the upcoming Jepak by-election to placate Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), especially Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
Political scientist Prof Datuk Dr Jayum Jawan of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) said PH, particularly Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), should not risk losing support from GPS for one state seat in Sarawak.
The unity federal government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the PKR President, still needs backing from GPS.
“After all, even if PKR can win Jepak, one seat could not do anything for either side. The same goes for PBB, where losing one seat to PH would not affect their (PBB or GPS) position in Sarawak.
“If PH or PKR wins it, one additional state seat will not change its position in the state assembly – they remain as opposition (at the state level),” he explained.
Speaking to the New Sarawak Tribune, Jayum said PBB is expected to sail through in the Jepak by-election, which is considered a PBB stronghold.
“There is really no real challenger within or from outside Sarawak.
“Whoever PBB nominates to contest in the by-election will surely win the seat,” he added.
Meanwhile, Professor Dr James Chin of the Asia Institute of the University of Tasmania, Australia, opined that it is still too early to predict whether PKR or any other political party will be contesting in the by-election.
For now, he said, there are several factors for PH or PKR to consider, including the relationship between the federal and state governments under the unity government, where UMNO is also part of the coalition.
In the past, he said, UMNO had a ‘special deal’ with the former Sarawak Barisan Nasional, which is the four parties that formed GPS – that UMNO would not contest in any elections in Sarawak.
“Apart from PKR, UMNO is also part of the federal government, so we will have to wait and see if there is any other such a ‘special deal’ between Anwar and Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is the Premier and GPS chairman.
“I think we can only talk about this (predict) after the announcement of the by-election date for Jepak,” he said.
“Of course, the other factor would be whether any opposition can actually win the seat. I think it is going to be a really tough fight for anyone trying to wrest the seat from PBB.
“But then again, we can only see where the wind is blowing when the election is around the corner,” he added.
On September 19, Sarawak State Assembly speaker Tan Sri Mohamed Asfia Awang Nassar announced that a by-election for the Jepak state constituency will be held as it is now vacant following the September 15 demise of incumbent Datuk Talib Zulpilip.
Asfia had submitted an official letter to Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Salleh informing him of the vacancy in the Jepak seat.
Talib, 72, passed away at Normah Specialist Hospital around 6pm in the state capital Kuching due to an illness on Sept 15.
Asfia had said that since there are still more than three years to go before the next state elections – by February 14, 2027, a by-election must be held.
The late Talib, who was from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), had held the Jepak seat for six terms.
In the 12th Sarawak state election in 2021, the late Talib secured victory with a significant majority of 4,243 votes, garnering 6,277 votes against his opponents Raba’ah Tudin (PSB), Stevenson Joseph Sumbang (PBK), and independent candidate Tuan Kazan.
Meanwhile, Sarawak PKR chairman Roland Engan said that the party will discuss and decide on the matter during its monthly leadership council meeting and only decide on whether or not to contest in the Jepak by-election next Monday (Sept 25).
