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MIRI – The latest statistics on voters in Sarawak show that urban and semi-urban parliamentary constituencies in the state are open to tough fights, an opposition leader said.
Incumbent Miri MP, Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng, who is also Sarawak PKR adviser, said the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) could face unexpected defeat in some constituencies, despite its “bold” predictions of winning all 31 parliamentary seats.
He said PKR has been analysing the latest overall statistics and details in specific voting localities.
“What we found is that there is not possible to accurately predict the outcome of this GE15 in the urban and semi-urban constituencies because the number of new and first-time voters is too large in order to establish voter trends,” he told The Vibes today.
“GPS may be making bold declarations of winning all the 31 rural and urban seats in Sarawak, but those are merely fanciful declarations.”
He said, for example, the Miri parliamentary seat has seen an increase of up to 30,000 new voters, a sizable increase to the total of 143,000 voters in the previous election.
“Now, the number has surged to about 170,000 due to new voters from Undi18 and the automatic registration of adult voters.
“There is no way that GPS can predict these new 30,000 voters in Miri are all going to vote for GPS.”
Dr Teo, who is defending the Miri seat, said the situation is similar in all the other urban and semi-urban seats, where a large number of new voters can affect the outcome of GE15 in the state.
“To put it simply, there is still a fighting chance for all contesting sides in urban and semi-urban seats in Sarawak,” he said.
He noted that there are 12 parliamentary constituencies in urban and semi-urban settings.
Previously, Sibuti MP Lukanisman Awang Sauni of GPS component Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu said the coalition will be the “kingmaker” in GE15, adding that it will win in all 31 federal seats.
“We are confident that the big victory by GPS in the last state election will be repeated in this coming parliamentary election for Sarawak,” he said, as quoted by the state public communications unit.
GPS is made up of Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party, Parti Rakyat Sarawak, and Progressive Democratic Party.
GPS chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, during a recent gathering with community leaders in Gedong, said GPS is aiming to win all the seats in order to fight for the state’s rights more effectively.
Abang Johari also said there is no room for any candidate from non-GPS parties.
During the state election in Sarawak last year, peninsula-based parties aligned with GPS – such as Bersatu, PAS, and Umno – were not given any seats to contest.
Currently, GPS controls 19 parliamentary seats in Sarawak, another two were won by independent politicians, while Parti Bangsa Malaysia holds one seat.
The remaining parliamentary seats are held by opposition parties DAP, Parti Sarawak Bersatu, and PKR. – The Vibes, October 23, 2022