PKR Sarawak duo to head preparation for polls
KUCHING: The decision by PKR Sarawak not to appoint Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How and Saratok MP Ali Biju as vice presidents was to allow them to focus on the task of preparing the party for the 12th state election.
PKR Sarawak deputy chairman Baharuddin Mokhsen said contrary to speculation by certain quarters, the two senior leaders have not been sidelined but have instead been given the role of heading the two most important committees within the party at state level.
“See Chee How is now the director of the state election committee which, at national level, is the most important bureau that only very senior leaders like (Datuk Seri Mohamed) Azmin Ali or Nurul Izzah (Anwar) have been tasked to lead.
“It is the same thing here in Sarawak because at the end of the day, the main business of any political party is to win in the election,” he told The Borneo Post in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.
As for Ali, who is also Krian assemblyman and party vice president at national level, Baharuddin said his appointment as strategic director for rural development was made as the party expects rural Sarawak to be the battleground where the state election is won or lost.
“Ali Biju stepped down from his role as vice president at state level to focus on leading the second most important committee – the Rural Development Committee.
“We believe what happens in rural-based seats will determine the outcome of the next state election,” he added.
On PKR Sarawak’s plan for Malay-Melanau-majority seats, Baharuddin said the party will look to ‘pick up the tempo’ in these areas which are traditional strongholds of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
“We faced problems (in making a breakthrough in MalayMelanau seats) in the past due to the vast resources of PBB in these areas. However, we are now more confident because if you look at the results in the last general election, there was a definite increase in the number of votes secured by our candidates.
“Some may say that PKR has not been active in these areas when in fact, we have been working on the ground for the past 20 years,” asserted the veteran leader, who heads the PKR Petra Jaya branch.
He also said with the change in the federal government, he believed that voters in these areas have realised that Pakatan Harapan (PH) is also capable of delivering development and not just Barisan Nasional (BN) or Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) – something which they have been led to believe all this while.
On seat negotiations among PH Sarawak component parties, Baharuddin disclosed that the process is going smoothly although the entry of Bersatu as the newest PH Sarawak member meant the previous arrangement between PKR, DAP and Amanah needed to be re-discussed.
He also said that following the general election victory, many highly qualified individuals and youths, who are seen as potential election candidates, have joined the party.
“We have a very beautiful headache picking candidates now – a lot of good choices compared to previous elections.
“We know our strengths and weaknesses, and are ready to face the state election whenever GPS decides to call for it. Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s honeymoon period is definitely over,” he warned.