By Nigel Edgar
KUCHING, Sept 20: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg brushed off claims by Democratic Action Party (DAP) leaders that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government would be cooperating with PAS.
A recent courtesy call by the Terengganu Menteri Besar to the chief minister’s office sparked speculation between GPS and PAS, as one of the members of the delegation was PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
Abang Johari clarified to reporters that the Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar was the one paying a courtesy call to him, and that PAS President Datuk Seri Hadi Awang happened to be part of the delegation.
“No, no, he (Hadi) said that. My meeting was not with Hadi Awang. The one paying the courtesy call to me was the Menteri Besar of Terengganu, and he (Hadi) had come along because the Menteri Besar was his former political secretary.
“The Menteri Besar attended the Malaysia Day celebrations here, so he paid a courtesy call to me. We did discuss something, as you know Terengganu is also an oil and gas state.
“So Hadi tagged along. I cannot say ‘Hadi, you cannot come’, cannot be lah, Sarawak hospitality bah,” Abang Johari told reporters after officiating at Sarawak Housing Estates Developers Association (Sheda) Property Expo 2019 at BCCK, here, today.
He was reacting to criticism by various DAP leaders who claimed that GPS is cooperating with PAS.
“You see, if I met Hadi, what’s wrong with me meeting Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar? I also met Anwar, I also met Azmin Ali. Their (DAP) politics are very shallow,” he said, in reference to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
“But still, (Tourism Minister) Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah Karim met (DAP assemblywoman) Violet Yong (in the hospital). Don’t tell me there is something going on between Violet and Karim,” he quipped. — DayakDaily
