Universiti Malaya’s Awang Azman Pawi said the decision of all three Sarawak Pakatan Harapan components—DAP, PKR and Amanah—to take on the state’s ruling coalition is unlikely to affect ties within the unity government, as “democracy needs to be respected”.
However, he said that to maintain their good relationship with GPS, Anwar and the central PH leadership must be cautious about the extent to which they show their support for the coalition’s state chapter.
“I predict that Anwar will distance himself to avoid being seen as exerting his power to determine the direction of Sarawak—to preserve the good ties between the federal and state governments,” he told FMT.
That, Awang Azman said, would allow Sarawak PKR to maintain a local identity and chart its own course at the polls.
On the other hand, James Chin of the University of Tasmania said the souring of federal-state ties was the least of Anwar’s worries.
Chin said it was understood that PH would remain in the opposition at state level when the unity government was formed in November 2022.
The big headache for Anwar is whether he can afford to remain neutral without being seen as abandoning his party, he said.
Certain quarters in GPS previously urged PKR to stay out of the state polls, which must be held by April 2027. The coalition currently has a commanding 80 seats in the 82-seat legislative assembly, with DAP holding the remaining two.
However, last Monday, Sarawak PKR confirmed it would contest in the state election alongside DAP and Amanah.
Sarawak PKR contested 28 seats during the 2021 state polls but failed to win any, with 22 candidates losing their deposits. The party won three seats in the 2016 state election.
‘PMX’ factor
Chin said that, on paper, PKR stands a good chance of snatching several seats in Sarawak. given that it leads the federal government, with the party president as prime minister, and has access to greater resources.
However, he said, PKR’s profile in Sarawak remains “very low”, while GPS has strengthened its grip on the state.
“Their ‘Sarawak first’ tagline is very, very popular among people of all groups in Sarawak. And GPS leaders have been saying all the right things about Sarawak being a multiracial and multireligious society.”
Awang Azman said Sarawak PKR must take advantage of Anwar’s image and position to attract locals into supporting the party.
GPS’s popularity in Sarawak may be at a high point, but Sarawak PKR must serve as a check-and-balance to ensure state policies are implemented and locals benefit from its initiatives.
He also said central PKR would need to channel more resources to strengthen its Sarawak chapter, while the latter must hold more community activities to engage voters at the grassroots level.