New political alliance in the offing

KUCHING: Sarawak Baru ( SB), a new political alliance of local- based parties to fight for Sarawak’s rights and interest, aims at serving as an alternative to voters in the 12th state election.

Its founder Lina Soo said SB would not want to be regarded as ‘ the third force’, after Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Pakatan Harapan ( PH), but would strive to play its part as an alternative to GPS.

She even asserted that the next state election, which is expected to be called in 2021, would see a real battle between local- based and Peninsula-based coalitions.

“We are not the third force because our intention is to provide Sarawakians an alternative to GPS. The government at federal level is PH and at state level GPS, so they (voters) need an alternative.

“We are also government in waiting as during election time, everybody has an equal chance to win,” she said at a news conference held at a hotel here yesterday.

Soo, who is State Reform Party ( STAR) president, said four parties; namely STAR, Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras), Sarawak Workers Party ( SWP) and Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru ( PBDSB) had agreed in principle to come together to form the new coalition.

She said SB had also extended invitation to Parti Bumi Kenyalang ( PBK), whose leadership is in the midst of deciding whether to join the new fold.

“They will need a consent within the party. We are waiting for their response. There is no deadline for PBK because (state) election is three years away.

“There may be a lot of political changes but we have agreed in principle (to form SB) but still need to work out the details. It (SB) is going to be all Sarawak parties,” she added.

Soo appealed to Sarawak-based political parties that had yet to join either PH or GPS to become a part of SB.

She said anything could happen in politics but with the new localbased coalition “we are going ahead”.

She also stressed that local parties must work together for they could not afford to fight alone or against one another.

“We must combine the strength because there are 82 seats. It is for Sarawak, it is for the people. People say they have been waiting for it (a new alternative) for a long time,” she said.

According to her, SB, once formalised and established, will contest in all the 82 state constituencies.

To a question, Soo said SB had not received any invitation from GPS to work together to fight for the interest and rights of Sarawak.

“We cannot just wait (for the invitation). But when there is an invitation, SB will discuss together. We do not rule out the possibility of working with GPS.

“It is for better benefits of Sarawakians, and we must look at the bigger picture. We are going to contest in all the 82 seats, with or without GPS.

“We don’t know the direction of GPS yet, but as far as SB is concerned, public feedback has been very positive,” she added.