GABUNGAN Parti Sarawak has accepted an invitation to be part of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s yet to be formed federal cabinet.

Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg, however, said its acceptance is conditional on the fact that the federal government will have to be known as “Perikatan Nasional plus GPS”.

He said the name is to reflect the state’s ruling coalition’s position that it is not part of Perikatan Nasional.

The chief minister had previously said that the GPS coalition of four Sarawak parties are a separate entity from Perikatan.

Abang Johari did not elaborate on how many positions in the cabinet were offered to GPS, and said an announcement on the cabinet line-up could be due in “two to three days”.

In the post supreme council meeting press conference for Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) in Petrajaya this afternoon, Abang Johari said he received the invitation for GPS to be part of the cabinet on Thursday.

The chief minister gave two reasons why the Sarawak coalition agreed to Muhyiddin’s invitation.

He said with a representation in the cabinet, GPS will be in a better position be a voice for the people of Sarawak.

“They will voice the aspirations of Sarawakians in policy decisions.”

An absence from the federal cabinet, he added, would leave the state in the dark on Putrajaya’s policy decision process, particularly decisions that could affect the state’s interests.

Secondly, he said, Sarawak cabinet ministers will also be in the position to pursue the highly contentious Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), as well as tinder hot issues like keeping Petronas in check and to force the company to abide by state laws.

He was referring to the legal challenge the national oil company is mounting not to pay the state sales tax on petroleum products, which came into force at the start of the year.

“If we are not in the cabinet, we cannot voice these problems officially,” he said, adding cabinet positions on offer were at the discretion of the prime minister.

“It’s his prerogative. He’s a very experienced statesman. He knows our position.”

Meanwhile, PRS president James Masing confirmed to The Malaysian Insight that the party joining the cabinet will be conditional.

“PRS agreed with certain conditions being put in place before we take part.”

One of the key conditions, he said, was that GPS cannot join Perikatan Nasional.

“We must be on our own. We aren’t accountable to the Perikatan Nasional leadership,” said Masing, who is also deputy chief minister.

Masing, who is in Sibu for celebrations marking Women’s International Day, said since the majority of PRS’ supreme council members were also in Sibu for the events, they convened an emengency meeting to discuss the issue.

“What is of prime importance to PRS is that we, as a part of GPS, had assisted in stabilising the country, so that government business can take place and the people live in peace.” – March 7, 2020.