KUCHING, Aug 23: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) should ‘play the game correctly’ instead of begging for the return of Sarawak’s rights, says Democratic Action Party (DAP) Batu Kitang chairman Abdul Aziz Isa.
Abdul Aziz, in a statement today, said he is baffled by why GPS had ‘demeaned’ itself after being the kingmaker during the formation of the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, which led to the appointment of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as the 8th Prime Minister of Malaysia.
According to Abdul Aziz, the recent cordial statement from Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang (Aug 21, 2021), on the appointment of Dato Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the new Prime Minister of Malaysia had proven that GPS has failed in its quest to reclaim Sarawak’s rights.
“To date, apart from Lo Khere Chiang, many GPS leaders seem to be begging the federal government to return Sarawak’s rights.
“The biggest question which requires a convincing answer is that, if GPS is the true kingmaker then why do they need to stoop so low to beg for PN led federal government to return its rights?
“Instead of begging, why can’t GPS make it happen since they are a part of the ruling party in the federal government?
“A kingmaker won’t beg, instead, they would get what they want and ‘play the game correctly’. If a kingmaker fails to get what they want, then they should change their strategies,” he said.
Abdul Aziz, who is also a special assistant to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, noted that since GPS is part of the ruling coalition in the federal government, Sarawakians would expect GPS to exercise their bargaining power and use their status as the kingmaker to ensure the return of Sarawak’s rights.
He questioned how would GPS be able to reclaim Sarawak’s rights if GPS can’t even exercise their bargaining power and guarantee that they will be given additional ministerial posts in Ismail Sabri’s Cabinet?
“Now GPS is making a demand for Ismail Sabri to give them a deputy prime minister post, and regardless of how many ministerial posts given to GPS under Ismail Sabri’s premiership, if they can’t reclaim Sarawak’s rights, then GPS is deemed as useless,” said Abdul Aziz. — DayakDaily
