PKR-PSB talks for Sarawak polls fall apart

 

Efforts to prevent multi-cornered fights among the opposition parties during the upcoming Sarawak state polls have collapsed after PKR and Parti Bersatu Sarawak (PSB) failed to arrive at a compromise.

Sarawak PKR chief Larry Sng (above) declared the efforts "dead". He claimed this was after PSB refused to make any concessions.

"Since PSB has taken the hardline position to contest all 82 state seats in the coming Sarawak state election, there is no room for Sarawak PKR to consider working with them," he said in a Facebook post.

Negotiations were supposed to go on until the end of this month.

However, Sng said with PSB's hardline position, any agreement was unlikely.

"Effectively, any notion of an alliance between PKR and PSB is now dead.

"This is unlikely to change since both parties have been discussing for months, without any resolution," he said.

PKR said it will now focus on contesting in the 47 state seats which it had already negotiated with allies DAP and Amanah. DAP will contest in 26 seats while Amanah in nine.

PKR had struck an agreement with its Harapan allies early on after a bitter clash during the 2016 election saw losses on both sides.

However, PSB emerged as another significant opposition player after it accepted an exodus of PKR leaders and members.

This included former Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian, who is also the Ba'kelalan state assemblyperson and Selangau MP.

Baru is an influential leader but PSB has yet to prove itself in an election.

The Sarawak assembly's current term expires in June and an election must be held by August.

At present, the Sarawak state legislative assembly is suspended due to a national state of emergency which is slated to expire on Aug 1. - Mkini