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MIRI – The move by local opposition party Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) to challenge fellow opposition DAP in this upcoming 15th general election (GE15) will hurt the opposition’s chances of winning big in Sarawak, said state PKR senior leader Dr Michael Teo Yu Keng.
Miri MP Dr Teo said PSB seems to be bent on disrupting efforts by Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) to secure a good victory during the parliamentary elections that will take place in the state during GE15.
He told The Vibes today that he expects PSB to also challenge him for the Miri parliamentary constituency.
“It is very clear now that PSB will function as a spoiler against Sarawak PH parties namely DAP, PKR and Amanah.
“PSB is going to seriously split the urban votes,” he said.
The recent announcement by PSB president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh that the party will place their candidates in urban seats against Sarawak PH is tantamount to helping the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to win, he said.
Dr Teo is playing an advisory role to Sarawak PKR since he let go of his deputy state chairman post last month.
He was reacting to Wong’s declaration yesterday that the latter will contest in the Sibu parliamentary constituency in GE15.
Wong made the announcement in the party meeting at the PSB Sibu office.
“As the president of PSB, I have to lead the party into GE15 when parliamentary elections in Sarawak are contested.
“The party, and the Sibu constituents also wish that I will contest the parliamentary seat,” he claimed.
Wong is also the state assemblyman for Bawang Assan which is located in Sibu town.
Wong’s announcement means that PSB is set to clash with DAP whose member Oscar Ling is currently the parliamentarian for Sibu.
Incidentally, Ling is a second-term MP there and has also been recently appointed Sarawak DAP’s GE15 elections director.
Dr Teo today said Sarawak PH will have to work doubly hard now to counter PSB and also the GPS component parties.
Out of the 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak, GPS currently holds 19, Independents have two, while DAP and PKR hold the others. – The Vibes, September 6, 2022