PKR has ‘zero chance’ in Sarawak, says PBB leader

Sarawak Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah today predicted that Sarawak PKR will not be able to win any seats in the Sarawak state election to come.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuching today, he said PKR was at its weakest position yet under its current leadership.

“I don’t believe PKR has any chance this time,” he said when asked to comment on PKR’s chances at the election.

“They may contest up to 41 seats like they did during the previous election. They contested many seats but only managed to get three. This time, they will get zero.”

Two state PKR chiefs have quit the party over the past year. Veteran Baru Bian announced his exit in the wake of the political crisis of 2020, while more recently Julau MP Larry Sng, who was tasked with leading the state chapter, decided in a shock announcement to revert to being an independent.

From having six MPs in Sarawak, the party is now left with only one: Miri MP Michael Teo. It also lost all of its representatives in the state legislative assembly.

Adding that his remarks were based on his own reading of the situation, Karim acknowledged that they might sound “arrogant”.

“But with PKR under its present leadership, they will get zero, not even a single seat,” he said.

With the party now in disarray, he added, GPS would easily be able to win the state election.

“I believe GPS will win handsomely, at least two-thirds or four-fifths. I am confident about that.”

Karim also said that PKR’s candidate for chief minister would be contesting the Asajaya seat.

“But based on the information that I received, there are three candidates from PKR, not one. At this time, the three candidates from the same party are going around Asajaya, trying to lobby to contest there.

“I don’t know why Asajaya is very important to them. Having said this, I welcome as many as possible – let it be a festival in Asajaya,” he said.

Adding that he likes multicornered fights, he said he believed the Election Commission does as well.

“More cornered fights are good for the government,” he said.