By Karen Bong and Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Sept 13: The allocation of 31 parliamentary seats to be contested by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component parties will remain unchanged for the 15th General Election (GE15).
Disclosing this, Premier of Sarawak and GPS chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg emphasised that “the ball is already in the court and can be kicked any time”.
“It is easy for GPS (to decide on the seat allocation). Yes (it is unchanged for now) because it is all (involving) GPS parties. GPS is one team. Sarawak comes first.
“So in preparation for the upcoming GE15, we have formed election machinery even though we don’t know when the election will be held. We just prepare like (sitting) for the Senior Cambridge Examination with the need for two years’ preparation,” he said during a press conference after the GPS Supreme Council meeting at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on Tuesday evening.
In the last general election in 2018, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) won 13 of the seats it contested but lost the Puncak Borneo seat. Following Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin’s acceptance into PBB recently, the party now holds all 14 seats allocated to it.
Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) was allocated seven seats but lost six, retaining only the Serian seat.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) managed to defend three seats (Ulu Rajang, Sri Aman and Kanowit) out of the six seats it traditionally has been allocated to contest.
The party later lost Sri Aman seat following MP Datuk Masir Kujat leaving to join Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).
Meanwhile, Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) which was allocated four seats retained only two (Bintulu and Baram) of the four seats it contested.
Abang Johari, who is also PBB president, reiterated that GPS needed to win big in the coming general election in order to have a stronger voice and play a greater role at the national level.
At the same time, he expressed confidence that GPS component parties will face the election as one team to continue the ‘Sarawak First’ fight.
“More importantly, GPS is firm on the view that political stability in the country is vital so that we can continue to deliver effectively to the people in Malaysia. GPS will contribute to that stability,” he added.
On the endorsement of 35 per cent of parliamentary seats for Sarawak and Sabah following the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) meeting recently, he said there are two to three matters still under negotiations to safeguard and protect the privileges of the two Borneo States as enshrined under MA63 and the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report.
“One is related to the 35 per cent of parliamentary seats for Sabah and Sarawak which has been principally agreed upon in the MA63 meeting (recently). But it has to be discussed further in the Federal Cabinet and if they agree, further action will be taken,” said Abang Johari.
Other matters pertaining to the rights safeguarded by MA63 concerned the devolution of power over health and education matters.
“Even though health is currently under federal (list), we require certain autonomy for the State government to better manage health matters. This also includes education,” he said.
Among the GPS leaders present were SUPP president Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, PDP president Dato Sri Tiong King Sing and PRS president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum. — DayakDaily
