11-11-2022, 11:29 AM
Can PH bank on “kingmaker” GPS’ support come GE15? Analyst says “no”
![[Image: gpssss1_HMfield_image_socialmedia.webp]](https://focusmalaysia.my/wp-content/uploads/gpssss1_HMfield_image_socialmedia.webp)
PAKATAN Harapan’s (PH) mission to wrest control of Putrajaya once more on Nov 19 may remain a distant dream as the opposition coalition will likely not get the support of the “kingmaker” for the 15th General Election (GE15) – Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
GPS, a coalition of four former Sarawak-based Barisan Nasional (BN) parties that was formed after BN’s disastrous performance during the last elections, held the lion’s share of the state’s parliamentary seats before Parliament was dissolved last month. It also governs the Sarawak State Government.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Azmi Hassan said it will come as “no surprise” if GPS wrests control of all 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak come GE15.
The coalition, comprising Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), won 19 seats during the 2018 polls – an admirable feat, although it was six fewer seats than what GPS bagged during the 2013 polls.
“No doubt they will be the kingmaker,” Azmi added, “because peninsular-based parties will not have enough (MPs) to go beyond the 112 benchmark (to obtain a simple majority to form the government)”. There are 222 seats in Parliament’s lower house.
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GPS, a coalition of four former Sarawak-based Barisan Nasional (BN) parties that was formed after BN’s disastrous performance during the last elections, held the lion’s share of the state’s parliamentary seats before Parliament was dissolved last month. It also governs the Sarawak State Government.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Azmi Hassan said it will come as “no surprise” if GPS wrests control of all 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak come GE15.
The coalition, comprising Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), won 19 seats during the 2018 polls – an admirable feat, although it was six fewer seats than what GPS bagged during the 2013 polls.
“No doubt they will be the kingmaker,” Azmi added, “because peninsular-based parties will not have enough (MPs) to go beyond the 112 benchmark (to obtain a simple majority to form the government)”. There are 222 seats in Parliament’s lower house.
- More -