DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng today apologised to Sarawak premier and leader of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition Abang Johari Openg for possibly offending the latter and the state government.

Lim’s expression of regret was posted on Facebook hours after the party’s secretary-general Anthony Loke met Abang Johari in Kuching today to publicly apologise on behalf of the party. 

Lim said the future of the country was more important as they must unite for the benefit of all Malaysians. 

“I apologise for my remarks that may have offended the Sarawak Premier and the GPS Sarawak state government.  

“The future of the country is more important,” Lim said.

He also called for a “fresh start” and for the two entities to co-operate to preserve the diversity, inclusiveness and unity of the country’s multiracial and multicultural society.

This, he said is also to protect the Federal Constitution for the benefit of all in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.

Earlier today, Loke extended an olive branch to Abang Johari to put a stop to the enmity between both parties.

He said the meeting at Abang Johari’s house in Kuching this morning was cordial.

“I informed the Sarawak premier that if there were any statements made by DAP leaders previously that offended the Sarawak government and people, I, representing DAP, apologise openly,” Loke said.

Both DAP leaders are hoping the meeting with Abang Johari and Sarawak Deputy Premier Prof Sim Kui Hian will change Malaysia’s political landscape, ushering in greater understanding and co-operation for the nation’s sake.

Tension between GPS and DAP started during the Pakatan Harapan administration when then finance minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng cancelled several mega projects in the state.

“When DAP came to power after the 2018 general election, they immediately embarked on a campaign to make Sarawak pay,” a GPS leader told The Malaysian Insight.

“They tried to stunt our growth, kill the state’s development when they started cancelling contracts for major infrastructure projects worth millions of ringgit.”

He said this was one of the main reasons why, in the hours after Saturday’s polls, the coalition had said it was aligning itself with Perikatan Nasional, adding that it rejected DAP outright. – November 24, 2022.