KUCHING, June 12: Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg says the new ruling alliance — Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) — is not joining Pakatan Harapan (PH).
He said GPS would be an independent state-based pact and also an opposition party.
“We are not joining PH. However, GPS will collaborate and cooperate with the federal government under PH for national interest and the state’s rights based on the Federation of Malaysia and the Federal Constitution,” he said a press conference today after announcing that Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) had quit the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
Abang Johari, who is also PBB chief, said GPS would have a different direction than PH and BN.
When asked if the decision to form GPS arose because of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the scandal-ridden 1MDB, Abang Johari did not deny it.
“It is based on the current change of situation. We have considered all the specs of post-GE14 and we have to focus on Sarawak’s rights. So we have to get ourselves together with the change in the situation.”
However, he said, the state government remained thankful and grateful to the previous BN government for what it had done for Sarawak all these years.
“We started as Sarawak alliance, and then we had BN. At that time, the situation was different, now it is also different. Based on our success in the 2016 state election, where Sarawakians voted for us, we will to continue our fight for Sarawak,” he said.
As a formality, GPS would write to the Registrar of Societies (ROS), Dewan Rakyat and BN to inform them of this latest development.
Meanwhile, when asked if United People’s Party (UPP) would be invited to join GPS, Abang Johari said that could wait as GPS would have to formalise itself first before they decide on this matter. — DayakDaily
