GPS improves on 2016 performance with 75-seat sweep

KUCHING, Dec 18  -- Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) won 75 seats in the 12th Sarawak state election that ended tonight, in turn improving on its 2016 performance when contesting under the Barisan Nasional banner. 

The Election Commission (EC) today announced the results of 81 of the 82 state seats contested in the state polls. The announcement of the Mulu seat results, however, was delayed until tomorrow after taking into account safety factors involving election workers transporting the ballot boxes due to bad weather.

GPS’ win was made even sweeter after the state-based coalition wrested five DAP seats, with GPS chairman and newly sworn-in Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg thanking the people for the huge mandate given.

“This GPS big win is a win for all Sarawakians, especially in placing the state on equal footing with Peninsular Malaysia as a regional partner in the Federation,” he said in his victory speech here tonight.

In the 11th state election, the coalition, comprising Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), won 72 seats.

Abang Johari, who is also Sarawak Chief Minister and president of PBB, moved from his traditional seat in Satok to Gedong this time around, and recorded a comfortable victory over three other candidates.

PBB swept all 47 seats it contested, while SUPP sprang a surprise by winning 13 out of the 18 seats they contested.

SUPP president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian also retained the Batu Kawah state seat he won in 2016.

PRS, which contested without their president - the late Tan Sri James Masing- who died on Oct 31, also excelled, winning all the 11 seats contested.

Meanwhile, PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who is also Bintulu MP, contested at the state-level for the very first time, and won the Dudong seat, while his party won four other seats.

GPS, however, failed to win in Ba’kelalan, which was retained by two-term incumbent Baru Bian, contesting under Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).

PSB emerged as the new opposition force in Sarawak after winning four state seats, Batu Lintang, Engkilili, Bawang Assan and Ba’kelalan.

PSB president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh retained the Bawang Assan seat he won previously under the BN ticket in 2016.

DAP, which had dominated the state opposition in the past few terms, was dealt a major blow when it won only two state seats, through its state chairman Chong Chieng Jen in Padungan, and Violet Yong in Pending.

Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK), Parti Amanah Negara, PKR, Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi), PAS along with all 30 independent candidates who contested failed to secure any seats.

-- BERNAMA