PBB puts a dent in PKR's boast

By Joseph Tawie

KUCHING: Chief Minister Taib Mahmud's party Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) has dismissed the notion that the Sarawak PKR will win “any” seats in the coming state election.

Supreme council member Abdul Rahman Junaidi believes the Sarawak PKR is not likely to win any seats and will not be able to retain even its Padungan seat held by PKR's Dominique Ng.

“PKR will likely lose all the seats it will contest in the coming state election. It will even lose Padungan,” Abdul Rahman said..

Abdul Rahman, who is Pantai Damai assemblyman, gave two reasons for PKR's likely defeat: the controversy over PKR's party elections and its unhappy relations with other parties like DAP, PAS and Sarawak National Party (SNAP).

He said PKR has been embroiled in bitter party elections which saw many members expressing dissatisfaction and some leaving the party.

Besides, its relations with the other parties in the Pakatan Rakyat are not that smooth due to ideological differences.

“The only thing that brings them together is their ambition to change the state BN government of Sarawak with a Pakatan government,” he said.

Describing the Pakatan coalition as “only play-acting”, Abdul Rahman said the opposition leaders could not be trusted.

“They (Pakatan) are only play-acting to be good because of power and they are willing to sacrifice their political principles.

"These leaders cannot and should not be trusted as they have deviated from their respective ideologies and had the tendency to do anything for the sake of power," he said.

Abdul Rahman was commenting on a statement by Masor Hossen, Sarawak PKR's director of strategy, who said the Pakatan coalition would be able to win between 24 and 36 seats in the coming state polls.

Unimpressed, Abdul Rahman said Masor's prediction was merely to boost the morale of the opposition supporters.

“I don’t think they can win any seat,” he said, adding that he is confident of retaining his own seat. - FMT