KUCHING, Jan 19 — The ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) could gain many winning tactics for its state election due next year from the Kimanis parliamentary by-election, former federal minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said.
The Santubong MP said yesterday’s outcome, especially Barisan Nasional’s victory in the straight fight against Parti Warisan Sabah, offered many tips for GPS to maintain its hold in Sarawak.
He said that after losing power in GE14, the BN had become more focused on specific issues and its campaigns were well-organised, adding that made a good choice for its Kimanis candidate compared to Warisan’s pick who was weighed down by failed past promises.
“What we in Sarawak need now is for individual leaders at every strata of GPS parties and community that they must play their part, including telling the people about what the state government is doing and has done,” he said.
He said GPS politicians, community leaders and government officers must think, act and talk accordingly.
“We are talking about Sarawak’s interests and issues affecting the people and for the people to protect the state,” he said when commenting on the outcome of the Kimanis by-election, which was won by BN’s Datuk Mohamad Alamin against Warisan’s Datuk Karim Bujang.
However, Wan Junaidi said he believes that GPS is in a much better position to protect and develop Sarawak compared to what Warisan can do for Sabah.
He said Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg has a better vision for Sarawak, and listed the state government programmes ranging from infrastructure development, modern agriculture, water grid, rural development, digital economy and programmes for B40 and M40 which are being implemented.
Wan Junaidi also said the Native Customary Rights land issues and village extension programmes, which are of interest to the grassroots, have been settled by the state government.
Wan Junaidi claimed Warisan lost Kimanis because the Pakatan Harapan federal government had lost the confidence of not only Sabahans but voters elsewhere in the country.
“Personally, I feel the Pakatan Harapan federal government has failed to address issues relating to economy, rural development, welfare of the people, prices of essential items, employment, B40 group, poverty and immigration in the country,” he said.
He said PH leaders’ use of the 1MDB scandal during the Kimanis by-election campaign was of little significant to most Sabahans.
“In the peninsula, the 1MDB scandal may be an issue, but in Sabah, the people are more concerned about many local issues,” he said.
He said these included the lack of rural development in Sabah when Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal was the minister in charge of rural development in the previous federal government.
