PAS and Bersatu will not contest the next Sarawak elections, said Deputy Chief Minister James Masing today.

The Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) chief, in a statement, said the assurance was given by Prime Minister and Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and PAS’ Abdul Hadi Awang at a meeting of the heads of all 12 parties that support the Perikatan Nasional government in Putrajaya yesterday.

Bersatu and PAS are the only peninsula-based parties with branches in Sarawak.

Masing, who attended the two-hour meeting, said the path is now clear for the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to tackle the opposition head-on.

He said the assurance by Bersatu and PAS “is a good sign that PN parties respect and honour their commitment to assist GPS when (the state elections) are called”.

GPS comprises four local parties, namely Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Progressive Democratic Party and PRS.

Masing said Chief Minister and PBB president Abang Johari Openg told the meeting that the state polls are “just around the corner”, and GPS is prepared.

“GPS is ready. The four components are readying themselves to fight the opposition – DAP, PKR, PSB (Parti Sarawak Bersatu) and others.”

PSB was formed by SUPP dissidents. It backed Barisan Nasional and GPS until it was booted out of the Sarawak pact for breaching the peace.

Masing said all party heads at the meeting agreed to Muhyiddin “leading the charge come GE15 (15th general election)”, and there is an understanding that if PN wins, they will support him to continue as prime minister.

“This understanding augurs well for PN when GE15 is called, unlike Pakatan Harapan, which is still plagued by the dispute between (former prime minister Dr) Mahathir (Mohamad), (PKR president) Anwar (Ibrahim) and (Sabah Chief Minister and Parti Warisan Sabah president) Mohd Shafie Apdal as to who should be prime minister, should PH win GE15.

“Muhyiddin and other (PN) party leaders are confident of winning GE15 once technical matters within PN are ironed out,” he said, without elaborating on the issues.

From his own observation of “the history and personalities involved in the political parties from the peninsula, especially between Bersatu and Umno, and the various parties that form the PN coalition in Sabah”, he said, it appears that “a healthy political coalition” is set to emerge.

“I’m confident that the technical matters among the PN parties will be solved. The sooner, the better.

“If they cannot overcome their differences before going into battle, there is a danger that PN might not only lose its internal battle, but also the war that is GE15.”

A common factor binding the PN components together is their objection to DAP as a coalition member, he said.

“In this aspect, MCA needs to strengthen itself to fight for the Chinese community in Malaysia.” – July 2, 2020.