BARISAN Nasional component parties in Sarawak had its Kuala Lumpur high command’s blessing to jump ship, acting Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said in a video making the rounds in social media today.
In the undated video that shows him speaking on a stage, Zahid said that he and Sarawak leaders, including its chief minister, Abang Johari Openg, had agreed to the formation of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) following the 14th general election.
“Abang Johari, as Sarawak chief minister and Sarawak Barisan Nasional chairman, discussed the matter with me and asked for my opinion on the formation of GPS as an alternative to BN,” he said in the 2.41-minute video.
“I told him my views and agreed for GPS to be formed.”
This is in contrast to previous reports stating that Zahid had implored Abang Johari not to go ahead with Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu’s withdrawal from BN following the May 9 polls.
Zahid had used the word “hancur”, said a BN source, signalling the coalition’s desperation if it were to lose its 19 federal lawmakers in Sarawak.
In the video, Zahid said that the devastating results of the 14th general election had left Sarawak BN with no choice but to try to work with the federal government.
“What choice did we have?”
Zahid also said he hoped GPS would stay on friendly terms with BN, especially to safeguard the coalition’s interest in the next state election.
“We hope GPS will work with BN so that we can come back in the next state election two or two and a half years from now,” he said.
In the video, Zahid also said that should BN reclaim federal power, the Sarawak parties were welcome to rejoin the coalition.
On June 12, PBB, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) formed GPS to “cooperate and collaborate” with the federal government on issues of “national interest and state rights”.
– https://www.themalaysianinsight.com
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