When the opposition parties won big in the last Sarawak Election in 2011 prior to the one on May 7, 2016, they knew it was solely because the voters there gave them the mandate hoping that it will give them the booster they need to grow stronger and bigger as a united party to come back even stronger and bigger to ‘fight’ BN in the next election.

Exactly, if they had remained united as the one and only coalition party, the results should not be only seven seats for DAP, three seats for PKR and no seat for PAS or Amanah, when the public ratings of BN, too, was in dispute.

Obviously the opposition had lost the chances and opportunities to win more seats in the May 7, 2016 election or rather when DAP could have at least retained the seats they had won in the previous election. But somehow, PKR have managed to retained three seats they had won in the 2011 election.

The then-Pakatan Rakyat had been given the chance but and unfortunately because of their differences which ended with the break-up of the coalition, and especially with PKR ‘fighting’ against DAP in three-cornered contest for the same seats in the May 7, 2016 election, the voters in Sarawak are disappointed.

Perhaps, the separation had confused the voters - let alone the move was disastrous and a bad decision.

So, do not blame on the redelineation of constituencies because voters ‘know’ who they should cast their votes for.

However, the truth is that voters in Sarawak did not get the chance to listen to other politicians from the opposite divide in West Malaysia to talk at public rallies.

You see, member of Parliaments from DAP and PKR from West Malaysia had been sent back at the Immigration checkpoint upon their arrivals in Sarawak.

They went there to help out their party candidates in their election campaigns. And, that is why voters have rejected all new faces from DAP, PKR and PAS as well as DAP losing five incumbent seats in the urban areas to the BN, simply because the voters had been kept out of the turn of events affecting the people and nation.

So, the election was not a fair and honest fight.

Inevitably, PAS’s change of heart and the break-up of Pakatan Rakyat had resulted in all parties losing big in the May 7, 2016 Sarawak elections.

There you go! This is a lesson learnt, a wake-up call for DAP, PKR and PAS to reunite the parties and put aside party differences to help them win more seats in GE14.

So to do not take it likely, otherwise, the same thing will repeat itself in GE14.

Let this be a reminder to PAS to take heed seriously that unity is strength, not complacency nor pride if the party likes to be winners in the next 14th general election.

Think about it. You can't stand alone!

LAU BING is a community activist and writer in Subang Jaya.