THIS weekend is set to mark another significant development in Sarawak’s political landscape. With only eight months left before completing its nine-year journey, Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) is expected to announce the conclusion of its operations as it gradually winds down.
This decision is scheduled to be formalised at an extraordinary delegates’ conference at Joystar Garden Restaurant in Sibu.
According to its leaders, the party, initially established as the United People’s Party (UPP) on August 14, 2014, but later renamed as PSB in 2019, will be permanently dissolved.
Party president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh is expected to chair the meeting at 3 pm, followed by a press conference to announce the party’s dissolution.
All existing party members will join the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), a component of the four-member Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), as a group.
The impending dissolution of PSB is seen as a positive step forward for Sarawak’s political landscape, potentially reducing political manoeuvring among politicians from both sides of the political spectrum.
This, in turn, could lead to increased efforts, focus, and energy directed towards propelling Sarawak to greater heights of progress.
It also sends a resounding message that the GPS government, led by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, is gaining the support of the majority of Sarawakians in steering Sarawak towards achieving developed state status by 2030.
With the departure of PSB as a political entity, along with its elected representatives and members now pledging support for GPS, the opposition representation in the State Cabinet has dwindled to just two members.
GPS is already very strong on its own, controlling more than a two-thirds majority of the State Legislative Assembly.
In the 2021 state election, PSB managed to retain four seats: Batu Lintang, Engkilili, Ba’kelalan, and Bawang Assan, making it the new opposition party in the state, replacing Pakatan Harapan, which only won two seats—Pending and Padungan—both under DAP.
Batu Lintang’s elected representative, See Chee How, however, chose to resign from the party in August last year, reducing PSB’s elected representatives to only three.
See is rumoured to join SUPP, another component party of GPS, once the current term of the State Legislative Assembly expires. The next Sarawak State Election must be held by April 15, 2027.
GPS, consisting of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), PDP, and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), secured a landslide victory in the 2021 state election, retaining 75 out of the 82 seats at stake.
It was GPS’ first time contesting an election under its name and logo. A total of 349 candidates contested the election, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
GPS’ component parties were formerly part of the state Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition but left BN to form GPS after BN’s defeat in the 2018 general election.
PSB, essentially a splinter party of SUPP, contested 70 out of the 82 state seats in the 2021 state election. Wong, along with his supporters, established PSB following a leadership tussle in SUPP.
It started as a pro-BN coalition but transitioned to independent status and later became an opposition party after Wong resigned as International Trade and e-Commerce Minister and Second Minister of Finance from the state Cabinet in July 2019.
As another eventful week in Sarawak’s political theatre comes to a close, anticipation grows for the impending announcement from PSB, signalling the end of its political journey. The stage is now set for a new chapter in the state’s political narrative.
As the dust settles and the echoes of change reverberate, one cannot help but wonder what lies ahead for the Land of the Hornbills.
Whatever the future holds, one thing remains certain: the resilience and dynamism of Sarawak’s political landscape, coupled with the dynamic leadership of the current state government, will continue to shape its destiny, paving the way for a brighter tomorrow.
This latest political twist also demonstrates Sarawak’s political maturity, setting the stage for even greater progress.
With each development, Sarawakians move closer to a future defined by unity, prosperity, and shared aspirations.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the New Sarawak Tribune.
