What Perikatan ‘MoU’, ask Sarawak parties

Desmond Davidson Desmond Davidson Updated 3 years ago · Published on 19 May 2020 1:15PM · 5 Comments

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (right) wearing a mask along with his cabinet members during the opening ceremony of the third term of the 14th parliamentary session in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The Muhyiddin administration has the lowest majority in the country’s history. – EPA pic, May 19, 2020.

SOME Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders are baffled over a purported memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by party heads in Perikatan Nasional to affirm the coalition’s formation.

A press statement on the MoU was issued on Sunday, a day before the one-day parliamentary sitting yesterday, stating the agreement of Bersatu, Barisan Nasional, PAS, GPS, Parti Bersatu Sarawak (PBS) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR), to form PN, to, among others, for the administration and management of the government at federal and state level.

However, GPS component Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president James Masing said he is unaware of any change in GPS’ position in the federal coalition.

“We are (supposed to be) Perikatan plus GPS,” said Masing, who is also a Sarawak deputy chief minister.

GPS is the coalition ruling Sarawak and while declaring support for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s federal government, has not officially aligned itself with any political bloc in the peninsula.

Masing said GPS parties – Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and PRS – are still not formal members of PN.

GPS only supported Muhyiddin to end the political turmoil in February, he said.

Also trying to make sense of the MoU is PBB information chief Idris Buang.

“As I understand it, GPS has not subscribed to the membership of PN but merely allied with PN to form the federal government via collaboration,” said the Muara Tuang assemblyman.

GPS dumped BN after its historic defeat in the 2018 general election.

The Sarawak-based ruling coalition, led by Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg, maintained its independence from the Pakatan Harapan federal government, which lasted nearly two years until February’s political crisis.

Umno and PAS leaders, however, have said the MoU on PN’s “formation” is not binding.

They said it is to show that Muhyiddin has the majority support to lead the government and was thus issued ahead of the sitting yesterday. – May 19, 2020.

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Comments

  • GPS, u r now an alliance to the party with few big thieves. Sarawakians will punish u for cahoot with corrupted leaders from BN. Why u join back BN, u quit BN for disagreeing to their corruped governance and admitted their wrong doings, now u join them back , to be part of the Corrupted?

    Posted 3 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • The perils of squatting under vile umno-pas's armpit.

    Posted 3 years ago by TC Koh · Reply

  • The Bustari Yusof middleman connection may be breaking.

    Only so much a mega-highway contract can do to secure loyalty.

    Posted 3 years ago by Johan M. · Reply

  • Crack is starting to show in GPS!

    Posted 3 years ago by Freddie Acho Boan · Reply

  • This YB talk only. He is not relavant in GPS.

    Posted 3 years ago by Thomas Samuel · Reply