UCHING: The Unity Government is prepared to assist Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in facing the Jepak state by-election.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was should the state coalition party sought the assistance of the federal government.
“However, I believe GPS has a strong machinery to retain Jepak seat,” he said.
He said this during a press conference after attending the Coordination Meeting Between the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Rural and Regional Development with the Rural Executive Councillors and Ministers at the Sheraton Hotel here yesterday.
Ahmad Zahid, who is the UMNO president, also said that GPS is a strong coalition party in the state and Jepak is the traditional seat of GPS.
Meanwhile, the Election Commision (EC) has set Nov 4 as the polling day and Oct 21 as the nomination day for the Jepak state by-election.
The Jepak seat became vacant on Sept 15 following the death of its assemblyman, Datuk Talib Zulpilip, who passed away at the age of 72.
The late Talib was a former minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) and was the Jepak assemblyman for six terms from 1996.
He retained Jepak in 2021, winning with a majority of 4,248 votes in a four-cornered fight.
