KUCHING, Dec 31 ― Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) hopes to work with local-based Opposition parties to deny Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) a landslide victory in the next parliamentary election, said Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh.
The PSB president said the party had no time to dwell on its election setbacks in the 12th state polls but would channel its energy into preparations for the next parliamentary election, which could be called next year.
“The dust has settled as far as the 12th state election is concerned. GPS continues to rule Sarawak but we, PSB, will carry on our monitoring roles and our struggles,” the Bawang Assan assemblyman said in his New Year message today.
He said the party would not be discouraged from its election defeat despite just having retained Batu Lintang, Engkilili, Bawang Assan, and Ba Kelalan.
He pointed out, unlike GPS, PSB did not have access to vast resources and also blamed standard operating procedures (SOPs) set to curb the spread of Covid-19, among others, for the failure of the Opposition to win more seats.
“Notably, PSB recorded the second highest popularity votes with 18.69 per cent. This goes to show that PSB is a force to be reckoned with,” he said.
Wong said there is no use pointing fingers at any party now that the state election had concluded.
He said PSB had conducted a post-mortem, which would push the party to address its shortcomings.
“Politics is a long journey and we have to abide by our beliefs, objectives, and goals as we move forward,” he added.
According to him, 2022 will see another round of inflation and the people-centric policies PSB proposed during the election would unfortunately not be implemented for the benefit of the people.
Despite this, Wong said PSB will give its level best to help the people, especially those experiencing financial woes.
“As we all know, we have been suffering, physically and mentally, due to the Covid-19 pandemic in the last two years with our daily routine gravely affected.
“And our fight against Covid-19 is not over yet because the Omicron variant has emerged in the country. We have to continue taking precautions such as wearing face masks, washing our hands, and maintaining physical distancing,” he said.
He therefore urged all to continue complying with the SOPs, staying vigilant, and upholding self-discipline to contain the spread of the virus.
Wong also called on the people to get the Covid-19 booster dose to protect themselves and their loved ones.
“I hope Sarawakians will be more disciplined and do not organise any major New Year’s Eve gatherings so as to bring down the risk of infections,” he said.
He added it is imperative for the community to abide by the instructions and orders issued by the Ministry of Health to stop the spread of the Omicron variant.
“Let’s work hand in hand to flatten the curve of infections or we may face severe consequences. I believe what we could not achieve this year may turn out different in the Year 2022 and may all wishes come true,” he added. ― Borneo Post
