By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Sept 14: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will stand by itself and will not join force with any political parties from outside the State.
In a mixture of English and local Malay, GPS chairman Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg stressed that the local-based ruling coalition consisting of PBB, PRS, SUPP and PDP is better off standing alone.
He said Sarawak should put its house in order and not being a “busybody” and get entangled with the newly established entity of Umno-Pas that was formally established today in Kuala Lumpur.
“We prefer to be on our own. Sik mao gago ngan rumah urang, bagus kita nyaga rumah kitak mpun aja (It’s better for us to look after our own house than being a busybody and get entangled with other people’s business),” Abang Johari told a news conference after officiating the Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak and Sarawak Multimedia Authority (CENTEXS-SMA) Safari 2019 held at Penview Convention Centre Demak here today.
He reiterated that since GPS had left the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition after its defeat in the last 14th General Election, it would be better off on its own to chart its own destiny.
“(We are)…. no longer in BN, kita dah keluar, kena gago ngan urang (we have left BN, so we do not want to be busybody and mess with other people’s business ), otherwise you masok politik sebelah nun jua (get entangled with their politics)….no point (for us to do that),” he stressed.
It was reported today that both Umno and PAS presidents Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang had agreed to work together as it would not only benefit the Malays and Muslims in the country, but all Malaysians.
The Chief Minister said GPS has been able to implement projects which are vital and urgent for its people such as the provision of water and electricity after leaving BN.
“We concentrate on Sarawak. Biar kita ada air, air belum ada cukup. Letrik pun belum jua cukup (Let’s provide water, some areas are still lacking, and so is electricity supply),” he stressed.
The Chief Minister expressed reluctance to comment on the latest political imbroglio that has been brewing in Peninsula Malaysia.
“That’s is their politics. That’s why I sik mao komen. Sidak ya mpun hal (That is why I don’t want to comment. It is their business). We focus on our State aja lah (only),” he said.
He said Sarawak on its own has been able to attract investors to the State.
“The moment rumah kita bagus, orang akan datang, invest. Mun rumah orang bekela-i, sapa nak ngago? Ujung-ujung ada kena tampar. Mun rumah you aman, semua orang bejarah, kueh pun ada. Mun laki bini bekela-i, air pun sik da. Kuatan nya gago kelai-i. You datang air pun sik ada,” he said.
(The moment our house is in order, people will come and invest. If the household keeps on quarrelling, who will come visit? At the end of the day, you (visitors) may even be slapped. If the house is in order, everyone wants to visit where they will be served with cakes. When husband and wife quarrel, you will not be served with drinks because they are busy fighting. You may visit but you will not be served with drinks).
Abang Johari, who is also the Minister of Resource Planning and Environment said because the State Government is now under GPS, it has been able to build bridges based on the needs of the people.
“Now, we are able to build both the Kuala Lassa and Batang Lupar Bridges that will allow us to lay water mains along these bridges, unlike before when water mains were laid on riverbed across the river. When we design the bridges this way, maintenance for water mains will be cheaper,” he added. — DayakDaily
