Abang Johari not pushing the panic button despite losing 12 seats in GE14

KUCHING: Sarawak Barisan Nasional has lost 12 out of 31 parliamentary seats but Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is not pushing the panic button just yet.

The Chief Minister said the coalition would carry out a post-mortem on the results, as Sarawak has always been deemed a "fixed deposit".

The state Barisan chairman added that component parties are not thinking about leaving the coalition even if Pakatan Harapan takes over Putrajaya.

"I expected the results to be better, but winning 19 out of 31 seats is not bad. National issues could contribute to our loss. We will carry out a post-mortem," he told reporters at the old state legislative assembly building here on Thursday (May 10).

Abang Johari and other state Barisan component leaders were supposed to hold a press conference with their Federal counterpart, but it was postponed, as official GE14 results had yet to be announced by the Election Commission as of 12.30am.

Sarawak Barisan had set a 28-seat target for GE14.

In the 2013 General Election, Barisan won 25 out of 31 parliamentary constituencies.

In the previous state polls in 2016, Barisan recorded a landslide victory, winning 72 out of 82 constituencies under Abang Johari's predecessor, the late Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

Of the 12 seats that Sarawak Barisan lost in GE14, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) was defeated in Puncak Borneo, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) suffered losses in Selangau, Lubok Antu and

Julau, while Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) suffered defeats in Saratok and Mas Gading.

Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP) suffered the most, losing six out of seven contested seats in Stampin, Bandar Kuching, Sarikei, Sibu, Lanang and Miri.

The DAP took six, PKR won four and two Independent candidates triumphed over Barisan in Lubok Antu and Julau.- Star