MIRI – An interesting situation is brewing ahead of the Jepak state constituency by-election in northern Sarawak.
Will any Sarawak Pakatan Harapan party contest in Jepak against the ruling state government coalition of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) – the incumbent there – since PH and GPS are partners of the unity government at the national level?
Even Sarawak PKR chairman Roland Engan is unsure about the situation.
“We in Sarawak PKR are unsure whether we will contest in Jepak.
“As it is now, PKR and the other Pakatan coalition parties (DAP and Amanah) are partners in the unity government in Putrajaya along with GPS.
“GPS is the incumbent in Jepak, and surely GPS will defend the seat in this coming by-election.
“Since PKR is part of the unity government along with GPS at the national level, we could end up cooperating with GPS, but we in Sarawak PKR are still in the opposition as far as the state level is concerned.
“Sarawak PKR will hold a central leadership council meeting this Monday to decide on this topic and then make a decision on how to proceed as far as this by-election in Jepak is concerned,” he told reporters here today.
Engan, a lawyer based in Miri, said he is not sure how the other Sarawak PH partners of DAP and Amanah will decide regarding the Jepak by-election.
“Sarawak DAP has all along stressed that it is still the opposition party in Sarawak.
“It will continue to function as an opposition in this state even against GPS, which is a partner of the unity government at national level.
“Sarawak PH also has not convened any meeting to decide whether to contest in Jepak or not,” Engan said.
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 said he 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 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. PBB is a component of GPS.
Talib held numerous important positions in the state administration, including chairman of the State Economic Development Corporation, the business investment arm of the state government.
Jepak is located within Bintulu district in northern Sarawak. It is considered a PBB stronghold. – The Vibes, September 21, 2023
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