KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is confident it will wrest the Sibu and Miri parliamentary seats from the opposition in the Nov 19 general election.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the leaders from the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) – a GPS component party – are very hardworking and sincere in serving the people.
“If they can recapture Pelawan and Bukit Assek (from DAP) in the Sarawak state elections last year, I find no reason why can’t they win Sibu in GE15?
“The same goes to Miri,” he told Sin Chew Daily in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
“So, I’m confident SUPP can win in Sibu and Miri in GE15.
“As for the seats in Kuching, we need to put in more effort,” he said, referring to Bandar Kuching and Stampin.
However, he said, it does not mean that SUPP stands no chance to win the two seats, as the party had managed to retain Batu Kawah, Batu Kitang and wrested Kota Sentosa from DAP in the state polls.
These three state seats are under the Stampin parliamentary constituency, which in GE15 is seeing a three-cornered fight between GPS candidate Lo Khere Chiang, DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, who is also the incumbent, and Parti Bumi Kenyalang’s (PBK) Lue Cheng Hing.
Abang Johari believed as long as the leaders remain sincere and committed in serving and helping the people, they will eventually have support from the people.
He said all the GPS candidates including those from SUPP are capable and winnable as “in every election we contest, we want to win.”
“But this also depends on the voters, especially the Chinese-majority seats,” he added.
In GE15, SUPP is contesting in its seven traditional seats, namely Serian, Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sibu, Miri, Sarikei and Lanang – all Chinese-majority urban seats.
Abang Johari also assured that Chinese education, including primary and secondary schools would be well taken care of under his leadership.
Apart from that, he said, Chinese education and the recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) by the Sarawak government were not only for the Chinese but also for the Bumiputera students.
“In Sarawak, not only the Chinese, but some Bumiputera also can speak Mandarin fluently (studying at Chinese schools),” he explained.
“UEC recognition is very important, thus, Pakatan Harapan had included it in their manifesto in the GE14.
“Indeed, it was a very attractive manifesto but they failed to deliver with the excuse that the manifesto is not a bible,” he said.
As for the GPS, he said, the state ruling coalition is committed to deliver its manifesto and promises made during elections.
For instance, he said the GPS has promised that it will strengthen Sarawak’s financial future by establishing a Sarawak sovereign wealth fund in the last state election.
Thus, a Bill will be tabled during the next State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting to set up the fund.
“For us in GPS, we will deliver what we promised. So, I leave it to the people to decide who they want to trust,” he added.
