A Sarawak leader has disputed a claim that East Malaysian parties stand to lose their kingmaker role at the next parliamentary general election because the informal alliance of Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional appear likely to win a simple majority and form a federal government on their own.
Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said political dynamics could shift, but Sabah and Sarawak would remain central to determining the country’s political landscape. Any reading of national politics must account for the two states’ strategic weight, he was quoted as saying.
“One must remember, where are Malaysia’s natural resources? Where are they located? Do you think Peninsular Malaysia-based political parties are willing to take that risk by not cooperating with Sarawak or Sabah? Do they dare?” Dayak Daily quoted him as saying in Kuching today.
Karim was responding to a prediction by Larry Sng, president of Parti Bangsa Malaysia, who said that “based on the current trajectory” from the results of the Negeri Sembilan election, “it is highly likely that BN-PN will easily form a simple majority after the next general election”.
He said that BN and PN had won a combined 98 seats in the 2022 general election and would need only 14 more for a majority.
However, Karim, who is the spokesman for GPS and information chief of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, said GPS had joined the unity government to help ensure stability.
“If the situation in Peninsular Malaysia leans towards one party or coalition being able to form a government without Sabah and Sarawak, well, that is his opinion.”
The 2022 election ended in a hung Parliament, leading to the formation of the unity coalition comprising Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional, GPS of Sarawak, GRS of Sabah and minor parties.
BN, PN and PH contested 171 parliamentary seats against each other in 2022, most of them in Peninsular Malaysia, including 86 seats with a 65% Malay electorate.
The election resulted in PH winning 82 of the 222 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, followed by PN (74), BN (30), GPS (23) and GRS (six).
BN, GPS and GRS later backed PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim to form the current unity government.
Pundits have previously predicted that GE16 would lead to a similar outcome, with no one party winning enough seats to form the government on its own.