KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 — Former Sarawak PKR chairman Larry Sng has expressed his intention to defend his parliamentary seat of Julau, Malaysiakini reported today.

However, the 15th general election will not be a smooth one for the Julau MP who quit PKR last week to support Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), a component of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition that is also friendly to Muhyiddin, told the same news portal that it plans to stake its claim there too.

Sng, who is currently an independent, told Malaysiakini that he is unsure whether he should run as one when the election is called, or seek to contest under another party’s banner.

"I will cross that bridge when I get there. Right now, my top priority is fulfilling my promises to my constituents,” Sng was quoted saying.

He added that he and his friends will not run for state seats for the coming Sarawak state election, due this year.

Sng previously served as Pelagus assemblyman from 2001 to 2011 under Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak.

In 2004 he was appointed as an assistant state minister under its then-chief minister Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud. He later represented PRS and the Sarawak Workers Party before joining PKR after winning Julau as an independent in the 2018 general election.

PRS president Tan Sri James Masing told Malaysiakini that his party intends to take Julau in the next GE.

"PRS has six parliamentary seats, we will contest all six seats,” he was quoted as saying.

The Baleh assemblyman added that PRS will not allow Sng to rejoin the party after leaving in 2007. Sng was a member from 2004 to 2007.

"You fool me once, shame on you. You fool me twice, shame on me. PRS will not be tricked twice. PRS will not accept Sng and his gang,” Masing was quoted as saying.

The Sarawak deputy chief minister also said he expects Parti Pribumi Bersatu to uphold its promise to not field candidates from its party in either the state election or the next general election.

PRS’ intent to contest for Julau was also confirmed by GPS secretary-general Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

"When we were brought in to form PN one year ago, as far as GPS is concerned, our president Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg made a stand that GPS will contest in all our seats,” he told Malaysiakini.

The Kapit MP added that GPS is willing to consider cooperating with the parties that will form the federal government after the next general election, including those from PN and Barisan Nasional.

"I believe the way forward is that a ruling coalition will be formed after the results of the general election is announced. We want to team up with parties that are not extreme and form a stable as well as a meaningful government.

"There is nothing wrong with working with Umno or other parties. Even DAP is harbouring the idea of working with other parties to replace Muhyiddin’s administration,” he was quoted saying.