KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) parliamentary chief whip, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, said that there had been no discussion about Cabinet posts with the new prime minister as priority was given to national interests to stabilise the country.
“GPS can also continue negotiations on claims over the rights and interests of Sarawak. It is hoped that these would be accelerated under the new prime minister.
“In support of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister at a meeting with the top GPS leaders and all GPS MPs in Kuala Lumpur last night, full mandate was given to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is chairman of GPS, to decide whether to join the federal government or whether or not to take a Cabinet post.
“But what is certain is that GPS will not join Perikatan Nasional. Instead, GPS will continue to operate as a state political entity unaffiliated with any coalition,” he said in his press statement, yesterday.
Fadillah also spoke of allegations made by the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and the People’s Justice Party (PKR) that GPS was favourable towards the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) and Umno.
He said the allegations were completely unfounded because GPS was only called to select the eighth prime minister but not to join any coalition.
“Perhaps, DAP and PKR have forgotten that they were the ones who partnered PAS in Pakatan Rakyat whereas GPS is just a political entity in Sarawak that is not in any coalition. The power struggle within Pakatan Harapan itself is the cause of the country’s political turmoil and they should not blame others,” he said.
Fadillah also said GPS was thankful that the country’s political turmoil had ended in peace, thanks to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s wisdom in solving the crisis fairly.
“Since the eighth prime minister had been appointed all parties should respect the decision of the King who used a constitutional process to resolve the crisis. Let us all focus again on development and prosperity of the state,” he said.
