KUCHING: Anwar, woman or GPS – one of these three pull factors will decide the outcome in the Puncak Borneo parliamentary constituency.
An opposition party which is sitting out this general election, Parti Aspirasi, is inclined to think it will boil down to these factors when voters cast their ballots tomorrow.
It said a win by PH-PKR candidate Diog Dios is tantamount to endorsing the coalition’s prime ministerial ambitions for Anwar.
Aspirasi chairman George Young said without a doubt Diog has had the Anwar factor driving his campaign.
Throughout the country Pakatan Harapan, led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has been pulling out all the stops in its drive to make him the next prime minister, he said.
“If we look at the sentiment in this GE15, the main goal is to make Anwar our next prime minister.
“By and large, the sentiment is pretty much the same in Sarawak especially in the urban or semi urban areas such as Kuching division,” he said.
According to Young, it is no different in Puncak Borneo since it sits in just outside the city.
“We have seen three prime ministers in the last term and two of them are not elected or chosen by the people’s mandate.
“This time the rakyat is given the choice to choose again,” he said, adding that in Puncak Borneo PH had in fact capitalised on this issue to give a good run against incumbent Datuk Willie Mongin.
But voters, he said, may also want to give the opportunity to Iana Akam of Parti Bersatu Sarawak (PSB).
Her selling point is that she would become the first Bidayuh woman MP ever in the state if she wins the seat.
“PSB in Puncak Borneo has the woman factor and I believe many Bidayuhs, not just women, will want to see a woman MP from their community in parliament,” said Young.
Having said that Young said incumbent Willie, who is contesting on a GPS-PBB ticket in this election,is not to be underestimated by any account.
“Besides him being the incumbent Willie also has the GPS factor the strength of which was seen in the last state election where GPS won big.”
He felt Willie stood a good chance of winning the seat but perhaps with a reduced majority this time.
All said, Young hastened to add that Aspirasi was staying above board in this election.
“We are not PH friendly, we are not BN friendly, we are not GPS friendly as well but we are good policy-friendly party.
“As long as the policies of the next ruling government benefit the people or if the policies protect the people’s interest, then we will support … otherwise we still need to voice our objection if there is no good governance or if we know there is mismanagement of taxpayers’ money by the government.
“This is our job. There must be checks and balances. We are a democracy not a demagogy,” he said.
