The 2021 Sarawak State Election: The rise of Gabungan Parti Sarawak and prospects for Sarawak politics
Main Article Content
Abstract
This article examines the results of the 2021 Sarawak State Election (SSE21) and explains Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) major victory. Analysts had predicted an unassailable success for GPS but stopped short of giving the coalition more than 70 seats (out of the 82 seats contested). This was due to restricted candidates’ movements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, political uncertainties at the federal level and the challenges posed by newcomers such as Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) and Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK). However, the results indicated otherwise: GPS did the unthinkable, winning more than 90% of the seats in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly, including recapturing some of the traditional seats held by the opposition. Moreover, it turned out that the COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) were advantageous to GPS and disadvantageous to the opposition. The article also explores a host of other factors contributing to GPS’s rise such as the coalition’s incumbency advantage, low voting turnout and the unhappiness towards the opposition among some segments of voters. GPS’s sweeping win has cemented its position in local politics and has given it more leverage as a kingmaker at the federal level. Even though the future looks promising for GPS, the prevailing political conditions at the federal level and the changing mood of the electorates will set to test the coalition’s dominance in Sarawak.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Amanda, Y. 2021. Even lower voter turnout in Sarawak? Sarawak Voice, 17 December. https://sarawakvoice.com/2021/12/17/even-lower-voter-turnout-in-sarawak/ (accessed 14 April 2022).
Amir Yusof. 2021. 5 key takeaways from bipartisan cooperation MOU between Malaysian government and opposition Pakatan Harapan. Channel News Asia, 14 September. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-mou-bipartisan-cooperation-government-pakatan-harapan-political-stability-reforms-2176266 (accessed 26 July 2022).
Bernama. 2021. PKR agrees to defer Sarawak election amidst health concerns. 16 November. https://www.bernama.com/en/politics/news.php?id=2022849 (accessed 4 October 2022).
Bedi, R.S. 2015. DAP has disappointed voters, says Fadillah. The Star Online, 27 March. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/03/27/sarawak-bn-on-state-dap-pull-out (accessed 3 December 2022).
. 2021. Explainer: What the political parties are promising ahead of Sarawak state polls on Saturday. Channel News Asia, 17 December. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-sarawak-election-frontrunners-campaign-platforms-2383966 (accessed 9 December 2022).
Boon, P. 2021. PSB to appoint Dayak CM if it forms the next Sarawak government. Borneo Post Online, 16 December. https://www.theborneopost.com/2021/12/16/psb-to-appoint-dayak-cm-if-it-forms-the-next-sarawak-govt/ (accessed 29 July 2022)
Chin, J. 1997. Politics of federal intervention in Malaysia, with reference to Sarawak, Sabah and Kelantan. Commonwealth & Comparative Politics 35(2): 96–120.
Chung, N. 2021a. Election SOPs curbing opposition more than COVID-19. Free Malaysia Today, 7 December. https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/12/07/election-sops-curbing-opposition-more-than-COVID-19-says-dap/ (accessed 24 August 2022).
. 2021b. Sarawak has right to seek independence, claims PBK. Free Malaysia Today, 15 December. https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/12/15/sarawak-has-right-to-seek-independence-claims-pbk/ (accessed 18 December 2021).
Fatimah, Z. 2022. Immunocompromised kids, teens to be given third COVID-19 vaccine dose, says KJ. The Star Online, 29 June. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/06/29/immunocompromised-kids-teens-to-be-given-third-COVID-19-vaccine-dose-says-kj (accessed 9 December 2022).
Goh, P.P. 2021. Sarawak denies manipulating COVID-19 daily cases to hold state election. New Straits Times, 27 December. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/11/749311/sarawak-denies-manipulating-COVID-19-daily-cases-hold-state-election (accessed 16 June 2022).
Hassan, H. 2021. GPS returns to power in Sarawak state polls. The Straits Times, 18 December. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/gps-returns-to-power-in-sarawak-state-polls-with-42-seats-so-far (accessed 30 May 2022).
Isaiah, D. 2016. The DAP will not bring “Ubah” after the election. Sarawak Voice, 29 April. https://sarawakvoice.com/2016/04/29/the-dap-will-not-bring-ubah-after-the-election/ (accessed 30 May 2022).
Koffi, A. 1998. Declaration on the right and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press.
Kumar, P.P. 2021. Malaysia’s PM seals political cease-fire to focus on COVID battle. Nikkei Asia, 13 September. https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Malaysia-in-transition/Malaysia-s-PM-seals-political-cease-fire-to-focus-on-COVID-battle (accessed 21 June 2022).
Ling, H. 2021. Voters to get RM3,000 hardship relief fund if PBK becomes government. Dayak Daily, 9 December. https://dayakdaily.com/voters-to-get-rm3000-hardship-relief-fund-if-pbk-becomes-government/ (accessed 18 December 2021).
Ling, S. 2021. Sarawak state election: Dec 18 is decision day. The Star Online, 25 November. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2021/11/25/sarawak-state-election-dec-18-is-decision-day (accessed 4 January 2023).
Mersat, N. 2018. The Sarawak Dayaks’ shift in Malaysia’s 2018 Election. The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs 107(6): 729–737. https://doi.org/10.1080/00358533.2018.1545940.
Nais, N. 2021a. DAP laments 64 state constituencies without good Internet coverage. Dayak Daily, 7 December. https://dayakdaily.com/dap-laments-64-state-constituencies-without-good-internet-coverage/ (accessed 18 December 2022).
. 2021b. Chong: Election SOP not to control COVID-19, gives GPS an advantage. Dayak Daily, 7 December. https://dayakdaily.com/chong-election-sop-not-to-control-COVID-19-gives-gps-an-advantage/ (accessed 15 January 2023).
Puyok, A. 2021a. Competitive, GPS-safe and GPS-leaning seats. New Sunday Tribune, 12 December, p. 11.
. 2021b. Constitutional amendment a major victory for GPS. New Sarawak Tribune, 17 December, p. 11.
. 2021c. GPS’ victory and Abang Jo’s “wow factor”. New Sarawak Tribune, 21 December, p. 11.
Teoh, P.Y. 2021. COVID-19: 4,298 new infections today. New Straits Times, 5 December. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2021/12/751553/COVID-19-4298-new-infections-today (accessed 19 December 2022).
Umpang, M. 2021. PBDSB to install Dayak as chief minister if it wins state polls. Borneo Post Online, 2 December. https://www.theborneopost.com/2021/12/02/pbdsb-to-install-dayak-as-chief-minister-if-it-wins-state-polls/ (accessed 18 December 2022).
Welsh, B. 2018. All quiet on the Sarawak front. Malaysiakini, 27 April. https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/421826 (accessed 5 January 2023).
Weiss, M.L. and Puyok, A. 2017. Electoral dynamics in Sarawak: Contesting developmentalism and rights. Petaling Jaya: ISEAS/SIRD.