GABUNGAN Parti Sarawak is backing Muhyiddin Yassin for the position of Prime Minister and said it was forming a coalition with Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah said Abang Johari Openg. 

The GPS chairman said the coalition wanted a federal government that would be strong and stable to face the coming economic challenges, while at the same time protect the well-being of the people, including their religious freedom. 

 “Our choice for Prime Minister is Muhyiddin Yassin,” the Sarawak Premier told a press conference in Kuching today.

The combined strength of the coalitions will give it a total of 131 seats in the 222-seat parliament.

Johari said that the two Borneo blocs, including GRS, had agreed to support the cooperation.

He added that the cooperation was based on upholding the Federal Constitution and Sarawak’s sovereignty as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963 - which included upholding freedom of religion in Sarawak, autonomy in education and health matters, and other issues regarding the region’s interests.

“The people have given the mandate and now it is our duty to form the government based on the mandate we received.

“Next year is recession. We must give importance to the country and the people,” Johari said.

Johari held a press conference hours after Muhyiddin made a Facebook posting showing a meeting between PN leaders and the former.

BN, meanwhile, has not responded to GPS’s suggestion of forming a coalition together.

A source said that BN had not made any decision on the matter.

As it stands, PH won 76 seats, while its coalition member Sarawak DAP garnered five seats and Muda one, for a total of 82 aligned seats.  

PN and PAS won 51 and 22 seats respectively, for a combined total of 73 seats. 

BN could only muster 30 seats, with many of the coalition’s leaders becoming casualties.

GPS claimed 22 seats, GRS (6), Warisan (3), Parti Bangsa Malaysia (1) and 2 wins were registered for the independents. – November 20, 2022.