Abang Johari: DAP sought GPS’ support following Mahathir’s resignation as PM in 2020

Abang Johari speaking at the 'leader-with-the-people' session in Sibu tonight (Nov 14, 2022). Screenshot: GPS Facebook livestream

By Ashley Sim

KUCHING, Nov 14: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg alleged that Democratic Action Party (DAP) had sought Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) support after former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned abruptly from his post in 2020.

Abang Johari stated this in his speech tonight at a ‘leader-with-the-people’ in Sibu.

“Nobody asked Mahathir to resign as prime minister; he resigned on his own. When he resigned, Malaysia had a political crisis, and the country had no prime minister.

“At the time, three candidates vied for the position of prime minister: (Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim, (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin Yassin, and Mahathir himself.

“Mahathir resigned and wanted to become prime Minister again, and that’s when Malaysia’s politics was kucar-kacir (messy),” he said.

He went on to say that Mahathir did not have the support of the majority of members of Parliament (MPs), as well as Anwar and Muhyiddin.

“That’s when people (political parties) started to look for someone (another political party) to support.

“DAP was in Pakatan Harapan (PH), so they tried to ask for GPS’ support. They said, ‘Please support us; forget about the past’.

“How could I forget when they said Sarawak would go bankrupt in three years?” he asserted.

Abang Johari, also the GPS chairman, said that GPS decided to back Muhyiddin, and Malaysia was able to maintain a stable government under him

“Then, a year later, there’s a ‘fight’ happening again, which led to another change in the prime minister, and (Datuk Patinggi) Ismail Sabri (Yaakob) was appointed.

“Again, GPS made the decision. That’s why now, all (political parties) want GPS to make the decision even in the 15th General Election (GE15),” he said. — DayakDaily