Some also question the rationale of Pas' plan to contest five seats -- Benting Maro, Sebuyau, Sadong Jaya, Muara Tuang and Tanjung Datu -- when the party does not have a good standing in the state. It contested in Beting Maro in the 2006 state election and lost.

By Sajahan Abdul Waheed, New Straits Times

SOME say it could be a well-planned strategy, while others opine that something is just not right with the Sarawak opposition parties in their preparations for the April 16 state election.

How else could one describe the situation. The supposed announcement of candidates by the national leaders of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, DAP and Pas failed to materialise not only at one, but two press conferences in as many days earlier in the week.

Instead, the press conferences were chaired by local party leaders who went on and on, repeating things that had been said before.

On Wednesday, Sarawak PKR head Baru Bian said the candidates' announcement that was scheduled for the day had been postponed to two days later as it was more appropriate for PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to announce them together with Pas and DAP national leaders.

On Thursday, at yet another press conference, Baru said the leaders would announce their candidates separately.

"Anwar is not here as he has another pre-arranged engagement. There is no need for the national leaders to be here tonight as this is a state matter," said Baru.

Universiti Sains Malaysia's school of social sciences deputy dean Dr Sivamurugan Pandian does not rule out the possibility that the "change of mind" could be a ploy to confuse Barisan Nasional.

"The possibility is there as this would lead BN to think that the opposition is really having problems and could not put up a united front.

"But it could also lead to a backlash to the opposition as voters would see them as not being convincing and not ready to play a bigger role, like administrating the state."

Sivamurugan, however, thinks that it is indeed a genuine case of failing to reach an agreement, as none of the parties are willing to compromise, each thinking that it is stronger than the others.

The dispute within the opposition, if this is indeed the case, reflects badly on the opposition pact ahead of the April 6 nomination day.

The problem is, while PKR has settled its differences on seat allocation with DAP, no solution seems in sight to its squabble with the Sarawak National Party (SNAP).

Maybe, the whole issue here is that PKR leaders had underestimated SNAP, which has been around in Sarawak politics for five decades and produced the state's first chief minister.

"PKR is not too aware of SNAP's political style," said another political analyst.

"They might have been overly confident of their ability to tame SNAP, but this will never happen. SNAP has a mind of its own and will never give up its demands.

"Even if PKR is willing to compromise now and compromise some of its seat demands to satisfy SNAP, the damage has been done. Voters already have a negative impression on the cooperation between both parties."

SNAP secretary-general Stanley Jugol is said to be firm in his stand that the party wanted 27 seats in the predominantly Dayak constituencies, or else it would contest on its own.

In the latest turn of events, the decision by PKR to swap its Padungan seat with DAP's Batu Lintang has fuelled new speculation as the assemblymen of both seats (Dominique Ng in Pandungan and Voon Lee Shen on Batu Lintang) are said to be not in good terms with their state party leaders.

Some even see the swap as a strategy to kill off the political careers of both assemblymen, so that they do not pose a threat to the state DAP and PKR leaderships.

"I have been betrayed," said Ng yesterday.

Some also question the rationale of Pas' plan to contest five seats -- Benting Maro, Sebuyau, Sadong Jaya, Muara Tuang and Tanjung Datu -- when the party does not have a good standing in the state. It contested in Beting Maro in the 2006 state election and lost.

Perhaps Pas thinks that this is its best chance to do well in Sarawak and that is why it is aiming big.

But this is unlikely to happen as the majority of the voters in Sarawak have yet to recognise and cosy up to Pas.

Whether it is a well-planned strategy or if something is just not right with the Sarawak opposition parties, the impact on the voters will become clear come April 16.

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