KUCHING: The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) supreme council will have the final say whether to assist its fellow coalition members in the unity government to campaign during the upcoming six state elections in Peninsular Malaysia.
Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) vice-president Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil said his party will leave the decision to the top leadership.
However, he opined that the political landscape and issues in Sarawak are different from those in Malaya and therefore what is/are right and true in Sarawak may not necessarily be applicable to Malaya.
“In this regard even if we want to assist, one has to exercise extra caution. So, we need to be mindful of this,” he told New Sarawak Tribune when contacted.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandom also said that the party will leave the decision to the GPS supreme council as to whether to be involved in the election campaigns in West Malaysia.
“If the top leadership wants to assist (in the campaign), we will help and support them, otherwise we will follow GPS’s stance and the collective decision on the matter,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said that it is better for GPS to stay away from the election campaigns or the politics in Peninsular Malaysia.
“This is also to avoid some future problems, especially when or if one day UMNO wants to be involved in the politics or help to campaign in Sarawak in the future too,” he said when contacted.
In addition, he said, GPS’ influence in the peninsula is very minimal, thus, the state ruling coalition will not help much in pulling votes for the unity government, be it the Pakatan Harapan, Barisan Nasional or UMNO coalition members.
“So, there is no need for GPS to be involved or to help as they will not be making much difference.
“But, instead, this (if they agree to help in campaigning) might be creating some future problems, it will open up opportunity for more peninsula-based parties to involve in Sarawak politics,” he opined.
On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had expressed his hope that the GPS leaders will assist Barisan Nasional; as part of the unity government to campaign in the state elections, which will be held in Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan in the coming weeks.
Zahid, who is also the BN chairman, has invited GPS leaders, including Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to help in the election campaigns of its federal coalition partners at the coming elections.
The UMNO president praised Abang Johari for preserving political stability in Sarawak, adding that the BN election machinery should learn from him.
His request comes a week after GPS chief whip Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said that the Sarawak ruling coalition would remain neutral and not take part in election campaigns in other states.
Fadillah said that there was a directive that prohibits GPS members from being involved in elections held outside Sarawak; where GPS members who are ministers and deputy ministers may visit those states holding elections but their involvement will be limited to ministry-related activities and would only explain government policies.
