By Lian Cheng
SIBU, April 24: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) aims to win all 31 parliamentary seats while Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) is called on to win back the four opposition-held seats of Selangau, Lubok Antu, Julau and Sri Aman in the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15).
The call was made by GPS chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg during the opening ceremony for the PRS Fifth Triennial Delegates Conference (TDC) at a hotel here today.
Abang Johari said Sarawak not only wanted to be a kingmaker in national politics but it wants Sarawak’s voice to be heard.
“That is why we in GPS in PRU15 (GE15), we must win all parliamentary seats. We must win back Selangau, Lubok Antu, Julau and Sri Aman,” he said.
He said in the upcoming GE15, all GPS component parties—Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) and PRS—must work together to ensure victory as “we are together in a boat called GPS”.
“We work together. PBB helps PDP, PDP helps PRS, PRS helped SUPP. We are in the same boat.
“We do not want to be only a kingmaker. That is not our objective. Our objective is the voice of Sarawak must be listened to. The voice of Sarawak must be heard and from there, we move towards 2030,” said Abang Johari.
He pointed out those in the same boat must all row with the same rhythm.
“If we row together with the same rhythm, we will move fast. If we have different rhythm, we will knock against each other. And when we fight each other, our boat will sink,” Abang Johari warned.
On PRS’ internal strife in the lead-up to its TDC, as GPS chairman, Abang Johari expressed gratitude and understanding for those in PRS willing to sacrifice themselves for the betterment of the party.
“I was in the same situation in my political journey but I think of people and State interest as more important than myself. Because of that, whoever was in the top leadership, I supported.”
Citing his own experience, he said both former Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu and himself were both deputy presidents of PBB and both gave way to former Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem to assume the presidency of the party.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari also took the opportunity to reiterate the reasons behind the ruling State coalition to leave the national coalition of Barisan Nasional (BN).
He said from the perspective of component parties, there were advantages and disadvantages to be in BN.
During that time, there were 14 component parties with BN, out of which four were from Sarawak.
“We were only four parties (out of 14 component parties). How can we stand against the other 10? And if we were to champion our rights, we would have to do it within (sic) our colleagues in BN.
After meeting with the top leaders of the component parties, it was decided that the Sarawak ruling coalition would leave BN and fight its own fight as a Sarawakian coalition. — DayakDaily
