“We are that confident,” PSB secretary-general George Loh told FMT.

“Although we are just a few years old, we believe we have what it takes to win the elections.”

Born from the ashes of the Chinese-dominated United People’s Party, PSB is a multiracial party led by one of Sarawak’s longest-serving assemblymen, Wong Soon Koh.

Wong, the former state second finance minister, opened PSB’s doors to other senior politicians from both sides of the divide, including former federal minister Joseph Entulu Belaun, former deputy home minister Masir Kujat, former Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian and Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How.

Dismissing the notion that the party was made up of rejects, Loh said Wong quit as Sarawak’s second finance minister because he was unhappy with plans for questionable projects like a proposed LRT line, a second trunk road and the establishment of the Development Bank of Sarawak.

“Baru and See were not sacked from PKR because they were incapable, but because of differences between Anwar Ibrahim and Azmin Ali. They were forced out of the party. They are not rejects,” he said.

Loh also said the people had responded well to PSB’s rebirth as a multiracial party, with large numbers of Dayaks now in its ranks.

“We have gone on roadshows throughout Sarawak, especially in rural areas. I attended most of them and the reception was very good.

“I believe most people can see that PSB is no longer a small, Chinese-based party.”

The 12th Sarawak elections will be PSB’s first, but Loh said he believed the experience of its leaders in government meant the party would be able to go toe-to-toe with GPS in the 70 constituencies where it would place candidates.

“On top of that, we are going into the elections with a clean slate. We are the only party that is truly multiracial. GPS is a multiracial coalition but its components are race-based,” he said.

Loh also said GPS and Pakatan Harapan (PH) had poor records. He said GPS, despite its rebranding, was really Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN), meaning it has governed the resource-rich state for 57 years.

“But Sarawak remains one of the poorest states in the country. Many in Sarawak still do not have access to clean drinking water, electricity, and to the internet. That’s a sad thing,” he said.

He said PH, on its part, had failed to deliver on its many promises during its 22 months in power in Putrajaya.

“If we are given the chance to govern Sarawak, the people will see the difference in just one term,” he added.