KUCHING: Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the vice-president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), emphasised the significance of maintaining strong parties in constituencies and cautioned against providing opportunities for other candidates.
He asserted that as seats in state assemblies or parliament were not owned by specific representatives, opening them up to all eligible candidates could lead to instability.
Abdul Karim highlighted that Malaysia’s practice, which originated during the Barisan Nasional era and was continued by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), involved pre-election decisions on candidacy, unlike other parts of the world where coalition governments were formed post-elections.
According to him, this strategy ensures stability and control over the electoral process within GPS.
“No one is designated to own specific electoral seats. However, if we consider the component parties of GPS, they already have a strong presence in certain areas. So why should we open up opportunities within our party (GPS)?” Abdul Karim explained.
“If traditional seats are opened up, there is a high possibility that we won’t be able to control the situation when larger or external parties can also contest. Currently, we can control and decide who should contest.”
Abdul Karim’s comments were in response to a recent suggestion by Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing that there should not be ‘traditional seats’ and that voters should determine their choice of candidate.
While Abdul Karim acknowledged Tiong’s point, he warned that abandoning traditional seats could lead to instability in Sarawak.
“This system has worked well for us, providing stability that translates to economic growth, good governance and well-managed finances.
“It has made Sarawak a source of great pride in Malaysia. Why disrupt this balance? With a stable system and good equilibrium, there’s no need to change it,” he added.
Abdul Karim suggested that component parties within GPS should self-evaluate, especially if they repeatedly lost in specific seats. They should consider stepping aside for more capable candidates.
He pointed out the current effectiveness of the system, highlighting GPS’ control over 79 out of 82 seats, which represented diverse populations including Dayak, Malay, Melanau and Chinese communities.
He advised Tiong that if he wished to pursue his suggestion, he should bring it to the GPS Supreme Council to prevent discomfort among other party members.
