Sabah’s PCS, LDP may end up like SAPP, says political analyst

Parti Cinta Sabah and Liberal Democratic Party cannot go it alone in the upcoming election, an analyst says.

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) may end up like the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) if they maintain their stand of “wanting to go it alone” in the forthcoming Sabah elections, said a political analyst.

Lee Kuok Tiung of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) said the action of both parties was also expected to split the votes of those opposing Warisan and its allies.

“I’m worried that they will be inflicted with the same fate as SAPP if they move on their own. They have a mountain to climb in the state polls unless they unite with other opposition parties,” Lee told FMT.

SAPP, which is led by former chief minister Yong Teck Lee, was once a component party of Barisan Nasional (BN) before exiting the coalition in 2008.

Lee Kuok Tiung

During the 13th general election, the party, which decided to go on its own, failed to obtain the required majority to form the state government.

Although SAPP decided to cooperate with a few opposition parties in the following general election, their coalition failed to win a single seat.

In recent times, PCS president Anifah Aman had stated that his party would not cooperate or forge an alliance with other parties, especially those from Peninsular Malaysia.

He also announced the party’s intention to contest in more seats to increase its chances of forming the state government.

LDP has taken a similar stance by rejecting opportunities to work with other political parties, especially those within the BN coalition.

BN chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said recently that talks were ongoing to determine seat allocation with other opposition parties, notably PCS and LDP, but LDP secretary-general Yong Wui Chung later refuted media reports linking the party with BN.

He said LDP had never once been in contact with Zahid or any leader from the coalition to discuss forming an alliance among opposition parties in Sabah.

“After the 14th general election, LDP has never cooperated with any other party. We have decided to fight the battle on our own to fulfil the aspirations of the people,” Yong said. - FMT