KUCHING: Component parties of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in Tasik Biru state seat are all set to face the coming state election.
Everything is on standby mode while its incumbent assemblyman Datuk Henry Harry Jinep is also all prep up to defend the seat for GPS.
“I’m ready to defend it (Tasik Biru seat) at any time the state election is called. We actually have about a year or so to go before the term of the current State Legislative Assembly expires sometime in May next year.
“But, even if the election is to be called tomorrow, we’ll support because we are all ready for it,” he said on Thursday in an interview with Astro Awani.
“In fact, now is a good time because people have seen what we have done,” he said, asked to comment on a statement by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior vice-president Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong last Wednesday that all Bidayuh assemblymen under GPS would be defending their respective seats in the coming state election.
According to Henry, all the Bidayuh elected representatives under GPS had actually met several times already to discuss strategies and planning to face the next state election.
“We’ve discussed on our preparation, strategies and planning including how to get the support of the people to remain steadfastly behind GPS,” he added.
Tasik Biru is one of the eight predominantly Bidayuh seats in the 82-seat Sarawak State Legislative Assembly.
Manyin, who is also the Education, Science and Technology Research Minister and Tebedu assemblyman, in his statement, however, only touched on seven out of the eight seats and Opar is now held by Ranum Mina from the opposition Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).
Ranum was formerly with SUPP but later joined Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh to form United People’s Party (UPP) which had now been rebranded as PSB.
For Opar, Manyin said it would be up to SUPP leadership to decide as the seat was traditionally allocated to SUPP.
Aside from Tebedu, Opar and Tasik Biru, five other Bidayuh assemblymen are Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn (Tarat), Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Mambong), Miro Simuh (Serembu), Martin Ben (Kedup) and John Ilus (Bukit Semuja).
All five, including Manyin, are with PBB while Henry is with Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
