PKR S’wak chief: Contesting in state polls not challenging unity govt but upholding people’s aspirations

MIRI (Aug 1): Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak said any decision by the party to contest in the next Sarawak state election should not be misconstrued as challenging the unity government but be seen as a practice of healthy democracy in upholding the people’s aspirations.

Its Sarawak Leadership Council chairman Roland Engan reckoned that it would be the cleanest of contests and bereft of money politics if all parties adhere to the RM100,000 cap by the Election Commission in expenditure, and the principles of the Madani unity government and cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) in warding off graft.

Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg who leads the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) with 80 out of the 82 state seats is expected to call for the next state election by April 15, 2027.

While respecting views from various quarters calling on the party to abstain from contesting in the state election, Roland begged to differ.

“I appreciate every point of view from various parties regarding the involvement of Keadilan (PKR) Sarawak in the upcoming Sarawak election. The reason given by them is unity and the absence of Keadilan in the Sarawak state assembly currently.

“I prefer to look at the factor of whether the rights and welfare of the people of Sarawak are well defended or not, before making a decision to contest in the Sarawak election.

“What is the point of having unity and stability if the rights and welfare of the people are arbitrarily ignored?

“In my opinion, if all parties respect each other and nurture democracy and do not practise revenge politics, participation in Sarawak’s election should not be viewed obliquely as potentially challenging the Unity Government.

“Furthermore, under the Unity Government and Madani Malaysia, the Sarawak election will witness the cleanest election in the future where each candidate will easily comply with the maximum spending limit of RM100,000.

“This is because candidates from political parties in the Unity Government and supporting Madani Malaysia are definitely clean by cooperating with the EC and MACC against money politics,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

Roland attached a link to Utusan Borneo report on Tuesday which quoted Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah as saying that PKR need not participate in the next state election.

The vice-president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) said it was pointless as the party failed to win any state seats in the last election, and GPS and the party are already partners in the federal government, and this spirit could be affected if PKR contested in the polls.

Abdul Karim was responding to political analysts who said PKR should stay out of the next Sarawak election as the party had negligible support in the state, and contesting could affect the federal partnership.

Roland had earlier on told The Borneo Post that PKR Sarawak remained steadfast with its election preparations, and it was premature to rule out contesting despite what detractors had said.

The state chapter pointed out that PKR is led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as president and the party is well-accepted in Sarawak.