PBM has nothing to offer GRS, says analyst

With no machinery in Sabah, and chapters in other states, PBM appears more like a national party than a local party.

(FMT) – Parti Bangsa Malaysia chief Larry Sng is likely to face rejection as he courts Gabungan Rakyat Sabah with nothing to offer, says a political analyst.

James Chin of University of Tasmania said Sng, PBM’s sole elected representative, seeks to expand his party but had no chance of doing so in Sarawak given the dominance of Gabungan Parti Sarawak.

His only option is to look outside Sarawak, with Sabah an easy choice given its proximity to his home state, Chin told FMT.

However, he said GRS is highly unlikely to accept PBM as a member, for a simple reason: PBM has no machinery in Sabah. “Their supporters in Sabah are people who have been rejected by the major parties so there’s no reason or incentive for GRS to accept PBM.”

Another analyst, Bilcher Bala of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, said PBM had misunderstood what GRS meant by “local party”, which referred to Sabah-based parties and Borneo parties.

PBM did not suit the identity of Hajiji Noor’s ruling Sabah coalition, he said. With two deputy presidents from outside Sabah (Steven Choong in West Malaysia and Wong Judat in Sarawak), and chapters in many other states, PBM was more like national parties such as Umno, DAP, Bersatu, PAS and Pejuang.

“If GRS wants to emulate its Sarawakian counterpart GPS in attaining political dominance in Sabah, it has to stay away from outside parties, or those that are not local Sabah parties,” Bilcher said.

Earlier this week, Sng said GRS should invite his party to join the coalition to strengthen the “Borneo bloc”, as PBM was Borneo-based.

Sng, who is Julau MP, voiced his intention for the party to make its debut at the next Sabah state elections, due before the end of 2025, eyeing seats in Kadazandusun Murut-majority areas.

Chin and Bilcher dismissed PBM’s chances in Sabah if it were to go solo, believing that the party would not be able to win any seat.

“All their candidates will lose,”

Chin said simply.

On the other hand, Bilcher expects PBM’s candidates to lose their deposits, saying it would be hard-pressed as a

“foreign”

party to counter the growing preference for Sabah-based parties at the polls.