I didn’t break promise to Abang Johari, insists Muhyiddin

 

Muhyiddin Yassin (right) said GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg agreed to let PN vie for parliamentary seats in Sarawak if it did not contest in the state elections last December. (Bernama pic)

PENDANG: Perikatan Nasional chairman Muhyiddin Yassin has denied reneging on a promise made to Gabungan Parti Sarawak chairman Abang Johari Openg that PN would not contest in Sarawak.

Muhyiddin said there was only an agreement that Bersatu would not contest in the previous state elections, not the parliamentary election.

“He said we reneged. Who reneged?” the former prime minister asked.

He said this in the wake of Abang Johari’s criticism of PN for breaking its apparent promise not to contest seats in Sarawak in GE15, according to a Borneo Post report. The agreement was made before the 12th Sarawak state elections.

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Last week, PN announced it would contest four seats in Sarawak — Saratok, Lubok Antu, Bintulu and Batang Lupar.

Muhyiddin said prior to the state elections, Abang Johari had met him and asked the Bersatu president’s support for GPS by not contesting in Sarawak, as former Kerian assemblyman Ali Biju had said he wanted to contest in the state polls.

The request was made despite Bersatu having Ali, who was then Kerian assemblyman and Saratok MP, as well as having tens of thousands of members in the Kemena state and Bintulu parliamentary constituencies, Muhyiddin said.

The Bersatu president said he talked Biju out of contesting in the state elections and abandoned PN’s intention to contest in the state elections out of respect for Abang Johari.

Biju eventually contested the Kerian seat as an independent candidate, but later withdrew his candidacy and backed the GPS candidate.

“We respected GPS’ policy. But we (PN) were already there (in Sarawak) and I have to respect and appreciate Bersatu and PN leaders over there,” he told reporters here at a press conference after delivering a ceramah for Kedah PN yesterday.

“He (Abang Johari) said, ‘It is okay, you leave the state (elections) to me, you can contest the parliamentary seats’. I still remember that there was a witness with me.”

Muhyiddin said the Sarawak premier should have come to meet him to discuss the issue of PN contesting in Sarawak, but instead he sent his “strongmen” Ibrahim Baki and another person named “Datuk Abdul Rahman”.

He told them about the agreement made with Abang Johari and that any party should be able to contest in a democracy. He also said PN needed to contest in Bintulu and Lubok Antu as former Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin had left Bersatu for Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

“So whatever it is, the matter has been discussed. On his (Abang Johari’s) statement (that PN reneged on its promise), I don’t want to argue with Abang Johari.

“He is my good friend, and he supported me when I was the prime minister. So I appreciate that (support) but he should also understand.” - FMT