PDP wants its state seats back in the next state election

KUCHING: Progressive Democratic Party ( PDP) wants Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to give back the three state seats taken away from the party by Barisan Nasional (BN) in the last state election.

The seats Bekenu, Batu Danau and Pakan were held by the party when it was known as Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) prior to the state election in 2016.

Following a crisis in the party which led to the resignation of Tan Sri William Mawan the then party president to become president of Party Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak ( Teras) a splinter party formed by former SPDP members, the incumbents of the three seats contested as BN friendly candidates.

After retaining their seats Bekenu and Batu Danau were absorbed into Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak ( PBB) while Pakan which was retained by Mawan was taken by Teras.

A source from the party said the decision was made at the party’s supreme council meeting held here yesterday. He added the party also resolved to ask for two of the eleven new seats following the increase of state seats prior to the last state election which were supposed to be allocated to the party.

The PDP supreme council passed a resolution that this matter must be resolved before the next state election which has to be held by 2021.

The supreme council also conducted a post mortem on the loss of two of the four parliamentary seats it contested in the last General Election.

Earlier the supreme council unanimously supported the withdrawal of the Sarawak government from Barisan Nasional (BN) and the formation of GPS.

The meeting also resolved to call for fairness, consensus and power sharing in the new coalition.

The supreme council also passed a resolution congratulating Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and the Sarawak government in getting a favourable decision from the Federal Court on Petronas application to comments proceeding against Sarawak government.