SARAWAK Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chieng Jen today demanded to know where ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) stands with respect to Barisan Nasional (BN).

He said that if GPS didn’t come clean, then the people “will take it that they will be teaming up with Umno, given the GPS track record”.

His remarks come after yesterday, when the Election Commission pulled down four banners in the Bandar Kuching constituency linking GPS to the Umno court cluster

Kuching South City Council lodged a police report, claiming the wording on the banners: “GPS menang, Zahid senang” were defamatory and an offence under the Election Offences Act.

The court cluster refers to disgraced former prime minister Najib Razak and Umno allies, including party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, facing a litany of corruption charges.

Meanwhile, Chong is certain GPS will team up with BN, if the latter reaches out, to form the next federal government.

Defending DAP’s action in erecting the banners, he said the people in Sarawak have the right to be informed of GPS’s intentions after polling day.

“In any election, one of the key messages is to tell the people what would happen afterwards.

“Many Sarawak folk are worried that GPS will be teaming up with Umno, especially the court cluster, to form the next government.”

Chong, standing for re-election in Stampin, said: “Freeing all those Umno leaders who are charged in court” is the reason why the party erected the banners.

He said for now, it is for GPS leaders, if they have no intention of teaming up with Umno, to make that clear to the people of Sarawak before the polling day.

He said, given GPS’s track record, he believed “those who have been observing politics will know that GPS at the end of the day will team up with Umno”.

The police today reported four reports have been lodged against the EC for tearing down election posters and banners.

Supt Douglas Nyeging Taong said the four reports have been referred to the EC for action.

However, he said police have opened an investigation of alleged mischief by fire after a flag of a political party in the rural town of Engkilili was burnt.

He added an investigation has also been opened up on alleged vandalism of campaign materials in two other rural towns: Serian and Lubok Antu. – November 10, 2022.