KUALA LUMPUR, July 7 — A new political party is set to join a crowded field lining up against the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) in Sarawak amid a growing perception that voters have become weary of 29 years of rule under Chief Minister Tan Sri Taib Mahmud.
The fledgling Parti Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak Bersatu (PERS), which is yet to be registered, comprises former members of Taib's ruling Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB).
It says it is prepared to field candidates in all constituencies in state polls which are expected to be called soon in the state long considered BN's vote bank and a "safe deposit."
But a resurgent opposition under Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties DAP, PKR and PAS is expected to provide a stiff challenge to the state BN dominated by PBB.
PERS says it is willing to talk to PR parties to forge an alliance.
The leaders of PERS say they are currently conducting their activities through a business entity, Projek Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak Sdn Bhd.
PERS pro-tem secretary Mohammad Nor Bakri told The Malaysian Insider the party has identified candidates to contest in all 71 constituencies in the state.
“We formed this party to fight for the economic rights of the Sarawakians and also to fight for those who have had their land taken,” said Mohammad Nor.
“Some of our potential candidates were detained under the ISA before and one of them lost 99 acres of his land to an oil palm plantation,” he added.
The party will officially announce its list of candidates this Saturday in Kuching.
Mohammad Nor said most of the party’s potential candidates were formerly from PBB.
“Our strength is in the rural areas, in long houses. If you look at the chief minister’s campaign in those areas he only uses money so the poor villagers get excited with RM30,” he said.
“We are not going to do that because we believe in uplifting their economic status,” added Mohammad Nor who is also a former PBB member.
He said that all the 71 candidates would contest as independents if the party fails to be registered in time for the election.
The mandate for the current Sarawak state assembly expires in July next year.
In state elections in 2006, DAP fielded 12 candidates, PKR, 25, SNAP, 29 and PAS 1. Twenty independents also tried their luck.
The opposition collectively won nine seats, its best performance ever due to controversies over the increase in land premiums and the oil price hike, which took place just two months before the state assembly was dissolved.
On whether PERS will work with Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties, Mohammad Nor said the party is open to discussion with the coalition.
“We are open, but PR has not been able to penetrate the rural areas, they will have to follow our agenda,” he said.
On why the party is using a private company to conduct its activities, Mohammad Nor said Projek Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak helps the party in achieving its objectives.
“Our aim is to eradicate poverty in the rural areas. Once we have addressed this problem, they cannot be bribed anymore,” he said.
“Projek Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak has been assisting the rural villagers to plant jatropha and we buy back the produce,” said Mohammad Nor.
Jatropha plant produces edible oil, which can be processed to produce high quality biodiesel.
Mohammad Nor claimed that they have helped villagers in several long houses to plant some 500,000 acres of jatropha for the last two years.
He added that just last month the company opened its first jatropha processing plant in Sri Aman, which can produce up to three tonnes of jatropha oil per day.
The fledgling Parti Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak Bersatu (PERS), which is yet to be registered, comprises former members of Taib's ruling Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB).
It says it is prepared to field candidates in all constituencies in state polls which are expected to be called soon in the state long considered BN's vote bank and a "safe deposit."
But a resurgent opposition under Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties DAP, PKR and PAS is expected to provide a stiff challenge to the state BN dominated by PBB.
PERS says it is willing to talk to PR parties to forge an alliance.
The leaders of PERS say they are currently conducting their activities through a business entity, Projek Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak Sdn Bhd.
PERS pro-tem secretary Mohammad Nor Bakri told The Malaysian Insider the party has identified candidates to contest in all 71 constituencies in the state.
“We formed this party to fight for the economic rights of the Sarawakians and also to fight for those who have had their land taken,” said Mohammad Nor.
“Some of our potential candidates were detained under the ISA before and one of them lost 99 acres of his land to an oil palm plantation,” he added.
The party will officially announce its list of candidates this Saturday in Kuching.
Mohammad Nor said most of the party’s potential candidates were formerly from PBB.
“Our strength is in the rural areas, in long houses. If you look at the chief minister’s campaign in those areas he only uses money so the poor villagers get excited with RM30,” he said.
“We are not going to do that because we believe in uplifting their economic status,” added Mohammad Nor who is also a former PBB member.
He said that all the 71 candidates would contest as independents if the party fails to be registered in time for the election.
The mandate for the current Sarawak state assembly expires in July next year.
In state elections in 2006, DAP fielded 12 candidates, PKR, 25, SNAP, 29 and PAS 1. Twenty independents also tried their luck.
The opposition collectively won nine seats, its best performance ever due to controversies over the increase in land premiums and the oil price hike, which took place just two months before the state assembly was dissolved.
On whether PERS will work with Sarawak Pakatan Rakyat (PR) parties, Mohammad Nor said the party is open to discussion with the coalition.
“We are open, but PR has not been able to penetrate the rural areas, they will have to follow our agenda,” he said.
On why the party is using a private company to conduct its activities, Mohammad Nor said Projek Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak helps the party in achieving its objectives.
“Our aim is to eradicate poverty in the rural areas. Once we have addressed this problem, they cannot be bribed anymore,” he said.
“Projek Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak has been assisting the rural villagers to plant jatropha and we buy back the produce,” said Mohammad Nor.
Jatropha plant produces edible oil, which can be processed to produce high quality biodiesel.
Mohammad Nor claimed that they have helped villagers in several long houses to plant some 500,000 acres of jatropha for the last two years.
He added that just last month the company opened its first jatropha processing plant in Sri Aman, which can produce up to three tonnes of jatropha oil per day.
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