SUPP-PDP seat overlap to be settled by GPS top leadership ahead of 13th Sarawak Election

Logo of Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Oct 17: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) top leadership will decide how to resolve overlapping seat claims between Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 13th Sarawak Election (PRN13), says Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Information chief Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

GPS comprises four component parties — Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), SUPP, PDP and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

Abdul Karim said the matter would be discussed among the coalition’s top leaders, adding that GPS had dealt with similar situations over the years.

“That is for the GPS supreme leadership, the presidents, to discuss among themselves. They will know what to do. We have been going through it for so many years already,” he told reporters during a press conference after officiating the Sarawak Folklore Writing Competition Awards Ceremony organised by DayakDaily at Imperial Hotel here today.

Abdul Karim speaking to reporters during a press conference after officiating DayakDaily’s Sarawak Folklore Writing Competition Awards Ceremony at Imperial Hotel here on Oct 17, 2026. Photo credit: DayakDaily

Dudong is one example of the seat overlap, having shifted from SUPP’s traditional hold to PDP president Dato Sri Tiong King Sing in the 2021 Sarawak election.

The issue also extends to Bawang Assan, Engkilili and Ba’Kelalan, which were previously represented by former Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) assemblymen Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Johnichal Rayong Ngipa and Baru Bian respectively, before they joined PDP in April 2024.

There have also been other overlapping seats in the past, including Mambong, where incumbent assemblyman Datuk Dr Jerip Susil left PSB and joined PBB in 2019, before retaining the seat under PBB in the 2021 Sarawak election.

Abdul Karim, however, stressed that the priority should be the quality of elected representatives rather than the party they represent.

“At the end of the day, what is more important is not the party. It is not the symbol. We want to have good elected representatives, irrespective of whether they represent PBB, SUPP, PDP or PRS. That is how it should be,” he said. — DayakDaily