BINTULU – Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is simply being honest about its formidable status and not being arrogant against the small opposition parties vying for the Jepak state constituency, a key coalition leader said today.
Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman said GPS leaders were simply being realistic when they told the opposition parties of Aspirasi and Parti Bumi Kenyalang that they cannot win against the coalition and should just give this by-election a miss.
“We GPS are being realistic, not arrogant, as we have a formidable majority in Sarawak,” said Fazzrudin, who is also the Sarawak premier’s chief political secretary.
“Jepak has also been a state government stronghold for decades. That is why we told them (there is) no need to contest.
“Even though it is their democratic right to contest, they should have been realistic about the true situation,” he said in a statement.
Fazzruddin said it is the wish of Jepak voters to want infrastructure and economic development as provided by the state government.
Even before nomination day yesterday, several leaders of GPS component parties had started seemingly taunting potential challengers for the Jepak seat located in the Bintulu district of northern Sarawak.
These GPS leaders had openly suggested that GPS should be allowed to win the seat uncontested because the coalition is too powerful for its opponents.
Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, deputy president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu, a component of GPS, had questioned whether those who intended to challenge GPS in Jepak have any chance to win at all.
He said GPS will win big in Jepak and that as such, the opponents should just give the by-election a miss.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak deputy information chief Andy Lawrence also said the opponents should face reality.
He said that if they let GPS win uncontested, it would foster stability, unity and continuity.
Jepak will see a three-cornered fight, with GPS candidate Iskandar Turkee taking on Aspirasi’s Chieng Lea Phing and PBK’s Stevenson Sumbang.
Jepak, located within the Bintulu parliamentary seat, has 22,804 registered voters.
Voters comprise mostly Malays and Melanau (54%), while Ibans make up 35%, Chinese 6% and the rest Orang Ulu, Bidayuh and other minority ethnic voters.
Early voting is on October 31 while polling will be on November 4. – The Vibes, October 21, 2023
