By Rintos Mail
KUCHING: Several urban constituencies are shaping up to be among the fiercest battlegrounds in the coming Sarawak election, with contests between the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and the Democratic Action Party (DAP) expected to dominate the political landscape.
Political analyst, Datuk Dr Lee Kuok Tiung, said current attention is focused almost exclusively on seats where SUPP and DAP are expected to clash, as well as constituencies where overlapping claims or “internal frictions” within the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition could potentially lead to electoral sabotage.
The associate professor from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at Universiti Malaysia Sabah noted that all contests involving SUPP and DAP should be regarded as highly competitive.
“We must remember that DAP once swept all of these urban seats, and it was only in the last election cycle that SUPP managed to claw them back, with some victories secured through only marginal majorities,” he said.
As such, Lee cautioned against any assumptions that incumbents would have an easy path in retaining their seats.
“No one should feel comfortable about their ability to defend or capture an opponent’s seat. DAP could wrest seats back from SUPP, just as DAP could risk losing the only two remaining seats it currently holds,” he added.
Among the constituencies expected to attract significant attention are Padungan and Pending, the only two seats currently held by DAP in Kuching.
According to Lee, both constituencies are certain to be major targets for SUPP as the party seeks to complete a clean sweep of the state capital.
Another key contest is expected in Kota Sentosa, which had long been regarded as a DAP stronghold before SUPP captured it in 2021 with a slim majority of about 1,600 votes.
With DAP aiming to contest between 15 and 18 state seats in the coming election, Lee said reclaiming Kota Sentosa would likely be among the party’s top priorities.
In Sibu, Pelawan remains a seat to watch after SUPP’s Datuk Michael Tiang Ming Tee emerged victorious in a chaotic five-cornered contest in 2021.
Lee described the constituency as vulnerable to shifts in the urban Chinese electorate but expressed hope that the popularity of Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg could help strengthen support for SUPP.
Meanwhile, the Miri city seats of Piasau and Pujut are also expected to feature prominently in the electoral battle.
Held by SUPP, both constituencies have historically been susceptible to political swings influenced by local economic concerns and township issues, making them attractive targets for DAP.
Lee also identified Tanjong Batu in Bintulu as another closely watched seat after SUPP narrowly wrested it from DAP in 2021 following decades of opposition dominance.
However, he believes SUPP is likely to face fewer challenges in defending Meradong and Repok, despite both constituencies having previously been long-time DAP strongholds.
According to Lee, the two Sarikei seats are expected to remain firmly in SUPP’s hands in the upcoming election.
