Sarawak Polls More Than Just an Election Victory
Sarawak now much more powerful within the Malaysian federation
By: Murray Hunter
The same coalition that has ruled the East Malaysian state of Sarawak for decades will rule it again after the December 18 elections that were uncertain because of Covid-19 restrictions. The result was known within 90 minutes after the closure of voting, an indication that the election was never going to be any threat to the Sarawak Parties Alliance government, or Gabungan Parti Sarawak, which held 67 of the 72 seats in the house before it was expanded to 82 for the 2021 election.
The alliance and in particular Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the leading party in the coalition, have long wanted maximum autonomy from Putra Jaya, the administrative capital of Putra Jaya in Peninsular Malaysia. Given its overwhelming victory, expect to see Sarawak want more freedom in determining education issues, oil and gas rights, more funding for infrastructure development, and maybe even more say in policing.
Sarawak is now a country within a country. This has always been the PBB ambition, as the party elite believe they can go alone. They now have the full respect of Putra Jaya, which needs Sarawak more than Sarawak needs Putra Jaya. The election has cemented the destiny of politics within Malaysia. Sarawak is now politically independent, while GPS will most certainly act as a kingmaker to keep UMNO in power after the next election…