Sarawak PKR secretary Joshua Jabeng told FMT he believed PKR, had it focused on fewer seats in Melaka, could have won one or two seats instead of losing in all of its 11 contests.
He noted that the party had contested for every seat in previous Sarawak state elections but said it had now changed its formula.
“In the past, we contested every seat for the simple reason that we didn’t want Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) – or Barisan Nasional then – to win uncontested. However, by doing so, we spread our resources and attention too widely without focusing on winnability.
“We have learned from our mistakes. By reducing the seats we are contesting for, we can focus more on winnable seats,” he said.
He predicted that PKR could win up to 10 of the 28 seats it is contesting this time around.
In 2016, when it vied for 47 seats, it won only three through Baru Bian, See Chee How and Ali Biju, all of whom left the party after the fall of the Pakatan Harapan federal government.
Jabeng said he believed Sarawak PKR had become stronger now that it was “free of traitors”.
He acknowledged that the party might not be seen as a favourite by political observers, but said it was important for it to continue in its struggle for reform and justice.
He said the party had come a long way since its inception in the late 1990s and had often been written off by many people in the past.
However, the internet had since given voters greater awareness of the problems afflicting the state and nation.
“No one believed in (PKR president) Anwar Ibrahim at first. After the 2004 general election, we had only one MP, Dr Wan Azizah Ismail. But people eventually woke up.
“Pakatan Harapan, led by PKR, went on to form the federal government in May 2018. If that could happen then, it can happen now,” he said.
Jabeng said that despite criticisms levelled at Anwar following PKR’s disastrous outing in Melaka, the PH chairman was still the “best and most relevant” man to lead the party.
“PKR doesn’t belong to one man. The party will go on even after Anwar leaves. This party is everyone’s party, but Anwar happens to be the founder and the leader right now and we have no problem with that.
“I believe he is still a credible and tireless fighter. Despite what he went through, he stayed. He never betrayed the party. His principles and direction remain clear. So there’s no problem with his remaining at the helm.”