Sarawak election: PAS, Amanah wiped out

PAS and its splinter Amanah not only failed to win any seats in the 11th Sarawak state election yesterday but seven PAS and nine Amanah lost their RM5,000 deposits.

PAS contested 11 seats and its candidates lost their deposits in all except for the Pantai Damai, Samariang, Sebuyau and Beting Maro seats.

Amanah tried its luck in 13 seats but also lost the deposit in all except in Gedong, Semop, Balingian and Kakus.

PAS has been contesting in the Sarawak state election since 2001 while Amanah, which was only formed last year, was making its debut.

Meanwhile, all 11 Star candidates lost their deposits after being unable to garner at least 12.5 percent of the overall votes.

They were among 66 candidates, including 20 independents, who lost their RM5,000 deposits.

Also suffering the same fate were 10 PKR candidates, four from PBDSB and seven each from Amanah, PAS dan DAP.

The Star's Johnny Anak Aput who contested in Bukit Semuja polled the lowest votes, just 52.

Independents Othman Bojeng and Sulaiman Kadir who stood in the Batu Kitang constituency which has 12,225 registered voters also performed dismally, polling just 54 and 61 votes, respectively.

Former PBB supreme council member Watson Bangau, who was sacked from the party for standing as an independent in Bawang Assan, also suffered the same fate after he polled only 569 of the overall 14,780 votes in a five-cornered fight.