GABUNGAN Parti Sarawak (GPS) will leave it to the wisdom of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to appoint a prime minister who will lead a strong federal government, the coalition said today.

In a statement, GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg said this was in line with the powers accorded to the king by the Federal Constitution.

The Sarawak premier said the people’s mandate must be respected in light of the ongoing political turmoil in Peninsular Malaysia.

However, in its statement GPS omitted naming its preferred candidate for prime minister, having previously endorsed Muhyiddin Yassin.

Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi trashed the proposal, saying it was never discussed with him.

BN has been in talks with Pakatan Harapan (PH), with Zahid and BN leaders meeting PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur yesterday morning.

BN leaders are currently meeting at Umno headquarters ahead of a 2pm deadline to determine whether it should side with PH or Perikatan Nasional (PN).

Without BN, a PN-GPS-GRS alliance would only have 102 seats, 10 short of a majority.

There is also a growing sense of unease in Sarawak, where the majority of people are non-Muslims, of GPS working with PAS, the largest party in the PN coalition.

There have been many letters to Abang Johari, including from leaders of opposition parties, to not work with PAS.

Parti Sarawak Bersatu secretary-general Baru Bian said PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang had shown himself to be a “religious and racist bigot whose only political agenda is the implementation of shariah law throughout Malaysia”.

In his statement, Abang Johari said “the people’s mandate must be respected”.

“GPS would like to reiterate that the interests of the country are more important than personal interests in the formation of the new government.” – November 22, 2022.