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KUCHING: A multi-cornered fight is shaping up once again in Tarat ahead of the coming Sarawak election, with growing signs that several opposition parties are preparing to test the waters against Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
Local talk on the ground suggests that opposition movements have started to become noticeable, even though no formal announcements have been made by the parties involved.
The early activity is seen as an indication that Tarat, like in previous state polls, may once again witness a fragmented contest involving more than two candidates.
Incumbent Datuk Seri Roland Sagah won in a five-cornered contest with a majority of 5,008 votes in the 2021 state election, where he garnered 6,500 votes against the candidates from Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) and Independent.
Sagah acknowledged that Tarat is beginning to draw early attention from the opposition ahead of the next state election.
He said there were already visible political movements on the ground involving at least two opposition parties, signalling that Tarat could once again become a closely watched battleground despite its status as a traditional GPS stronghold.
He said both Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) had started mobilising and were showing interest in the constituency.
“Yes, there are already some movements by the opposition. PBDS and PKR are already on the move,” he said, while stressing that such developments were part of the normal democratic process and should not be taken lightly.
Sagah, who has represented Tarat since 1996, said the early manoeuvring was a reminder that no seat could be regarded as permanently secure in today’s political climate.
Tarat is a long-established state constituency in Sarawak and remains under his representation in the State Legislative Assembly.
Past election results appeared to have pointed that multi-cornered fights tend to favour the incumbent coalition, as opposition votes are often split among several candidates.
This has been a recurring trend in Sarawak politics, especially in seats where local sentiments, personality politics and party loyalties overlap.
For GPS, the main challenge in Tarat may not necessarily be the strength of one opposition force, but the collective attempt by several smaller parties to gain visibility and build momentum ahead of polling day.
At this stage, however, much remains fluid. Candidate line-ups have yet to be confirmed, and political alignments could still shift depending on seat negotiations and strategic decisions made closer to the election.
Still, one thing is increasingly clear: Tarat is unlikely to see a quiet contest.
If current ground sentiment holds, the constituency may once again become one of the seats to watch — not because of a one-on-one showdown, but because at least several opposition parties are believed to be eyeing a challenge against GPS, setting the stage for another potentially crowded electoral battle.
Local talk on the ground suggests that opposition movements have started to become noticeable, even though no formal announcements have been made by the parties involved.
The early activity is seen as an indication that Tarat, like in previous state polls, may once again witness a fragmented contest involving more than two candidates.
Incumbent Datuk Seri Roland Sagah won in a five-cornered contest with a majority of 5,008 votes in the 2021 state election, where he garnered 6,500 votes against the candidates from Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) and Independent.
Sagah acknowledged that Tarat is beginning to draw early attention from the opposition ahead of the next state election.
He said there were already visible political movements on the ground involving at least two opposition parties, signalling that Tarat could once again become a closely watched battleground despite its status as a traditional GPS stronghold.
He said both Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) had started mobilising and were showing interest in the constituency.
“Yes, there are already some movements by the opposition. PBDS and PKR are already on the move,” he said, while stressing that such developments were part of the normal democratic process and should not be taken lightly.
Sagah, who has represented Tarat since 1996, said the early manoeuvring was a reminder that no seat could be regarded as permanently secure in today’s political climate.
Tarat is a long-established state constituency in Sarawak and remains under his representation in the State Legislative Assembly.
Past election results appeared to have pointed that multi-cornered fights tend to favour the incumbent coalition, as opposition votes are often split among several candidates.
This has been a recurring trend in Sarawak politics, especially in seats where local sentiments, personality politics and party loyalties overlap.
For GPS, the main challenge in Tarat may not necessarily be the strength of one opposition force, but the collective attempt by several smaller parties to gain visibility and build momentum ahead of polling day.
At this stage, however, much remains fluid. Candidate line-ups have yet to be confirmed, and political alignments could still shift depending on seat negotiations and strategic decisions made closer to the election.
Still, one thing is increasingly clear: Tarat is unlikely to see a quiet contest.
If current ground sentiment holds, the constituency may once again become one of the seats to watch — not because of a one-on-one showdown, but because at least several opposition parties are believed to be eyeing a challenge against GPS, setting the stage for another potentially crowded electoral battle.