GPS rebuffs Bersatu plea to contest in Sarawak seats

 

An aide to GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg has rejected a plea by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Gabungan Parti Sarawak, the ruling coalition in Sarawak, has rebuffed an appeal by Bersatu to allow its candidates to contest in Sarawak parliamentary seats at the next general election.

A senior aide to GPS leader Abang Johari Openg said today that GPS would stand firm and remained uncompromising on its plans to contest all parliamentary seats in the state.

The aide, Tupong assemblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, said the ruling coalition’s stand had been previously stated by Abang Johari and remained unchanged.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had been reported to have urged Abang Johari recently to consider allowing Bersatu candidates to be fielded in Sarawak parliamentary seats.

In a response today, Fazzrudin said efforts to reclaim and safeguard Sarawak rights would be ensured by GPS contesting and winning parliamentary seats. “If Sarawak prospers, I believe that the nation will too,” said Fazzrudin, who is deputy youth leader of PPB, the dominant party in the Sarawak coalition.

He said having GPS at the helm in Sarawak would contribute to political stability.

Making a reference to “the political crisis in 2020”, he said: “We have been in this current political quagmire for far too long. And this period of instability has, to a certain extent, dampened both the economic development and the governance of the nation.”

The political crisis of 2020 came about when the Pakatan Harapan government lost power after Bersatu, led by Muhyiddin, and allies formed a new government under Perikatan Nasional.

PN, with 51 seats in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat, had the support of Barisan Nasional (42 seats), GPS (18 seats) and six seats from minor parties. - FMT