This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 7, 2016.

KUCHING: The motley band of small non-aligned political parties is not expected to do well in the next Sarawak elections, pundits predict, but that does not stop them from dreaming of pulling a huge upset against the two political heavyweights — the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition Pakatan Harapan.

The elections, which Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem on New Year’s Eve hinted could be in “three months”, will see parties such as the State Reform Party (Star), Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDS Baru), Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) and PAS going full throttle to win.

Star, reportedly financially strapped and which was thrashed in the last few elections, said it would contest in all 81 seats.

“So, we can control Sarawak when we win” was Star president Dripin Sakoi’s optimistic view when talking to The Malaysian Insider recently.

Dripin’s rallying point is to put Sarawak on equal footing in the federation of Malaysia.

The party has identified 10 candidates and is looking to non-governmental organisations for more.

Dripin believes that many smaller parties will contest this time, and parties such as Star, whose support base is mainly the Bidayuh Dayaks in Bau, Penrissen and Serian, stand a good chance of winning.

Banking on multi-cornered fights

PBDS Baru president Louis Jarau is on the same wavelength as Dripin.

Jarau, who rescued the Dayak party from an internecine fight, is also banking on multi-cornered fights to increase its chances of winning.

The party was deregistered in 2004 because of a protracted leadership battle between then president Datuk Daniel Tajem and Tan Sri Dr James Masing.

“If many parties go in, votes will be split and we will have a better chance,” Jarau said.

Like Star, Jarau said PBDS Baru had identified 10 candidates to contest in 10 semi-urban areas.

Jarau himself is eyeing the Dudong seat on the outskirts of Sibu, which has a sizeable number of Dayak voters.

Establishing a new direction

SWP, in the news lately over its future direction, has reportedly tried to reach an agreement with Pakatan Harapan to avoid multi-cornered fights in seats it is confident of winning.

If SWP does get to the election starting block, the party, which declared itself BN-friendly when it started in 2012, will take part in its second election campaign.

The first in the 2013 general election was a wipeout.

SWP fielded candidates in all six seats contested by its nemesis, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

Among the losers was Datuk Sng Chee Hua, father of party president Larry Sng.

Chee Hua, a former assemblyman and member of parliament, was defeated on his old hunting ground — the Dayak-majority seat of Selangau — where he was beaten by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun in a three-cornered fight.

The other candidate was PKR’s Joshua Jabeng.

“Our support was divided in the GE (general election),” Larry told The Malaysian Insider.

Like GE13, SWP will be fielding candidates in seats PRS is contesting — Pelagus, Balai Ringin, Bukit Begunan, Batang Ai, Ngemah, Tamin, Kakus, Pelagus, Baleh, Belaga, and the two or three new seats allocated to them.

Larry is set to contest in the new seat of Bukit Goram, which was carved out of his former seat of Pelagus.

Blessing in disguise

With no opposition coalition for support, PAS has to go alone.

As a member of then Pakatan Rakyat, PAS was allocated six seats in the 2011 elections.

In 2016, the Islamist party is likely to contest in 11 seats, according to state commissioner Jofri Jaraiee.

It will recontest the six seats and five new ones eyed by its former partners, DAP and PKR.

Despite staking its claims, Jofri said he still hopes to talk to PKR to avoid a head-on fight in those seats.

Adding to the mix is a new political grouping of independents calling themselves the Calon Independent Alliance (CIA).

This group is headed by former DAP man and Pujut assemblyman Fong Poh Teck.

CIA, which has yet to be registered as a political entity, is reportedly aiming to field 42 candidates in urban and rural constituencies. — The Malaysian Insider