KUCHING – Gabungan Parti Sarawak chairman Datuk Abang Johari Tun Openg will soon announce the coalition’s stance on its understanding with Bersatu in facing the state elections, said the party whip in Parliament, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Fadillah said that so far, the coalition involving Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party, Parti Rakyat Sarawak, and Progressive Democratic Party would definitely be contesting all the 82 state seats in the coming elections.
“We (GPS) will have all our candidates for all the state and parliamentary seats in Sarawak, but there will be some understanding with Bersatu. We will look into how we can accommodate them.
“It is not for me (to decide), but the final stand will be announced by the chief minister,” he said at a news conference here today.
Fadillah, who is also PBB senior vice-president, was asked on GPS’ stand on speculation that Bersatu would be contesting in the Sarawak state elections, expected to be held after the emergency for Covid-19 ends.
Bersatu holds a state seat in Sarawak through Krian assemblyman Datuk Ali Biju, who won the seat as a PKR candidate in the 11th state elections held in 2016.
Ali, who is the MP for Saratok and the energy and natural resources deputy minister, joined the bloc led by Datuk Seri Azmin Ali that quit PKR in February last year before joining Bersatu in August.
Besides Ali, Datuk Willie Mongin, the MP for Puncak Borneo and current plantation industries and commodities deputy minister, also quit PKR.
On the Pan Borneo Highway project, Fadillah, who is the senior works minister, said the project was currently 60% complete in Sarawak and 45% complete in Sabah.
The project, expected to be completed by 2022, has been delayed following the termination of contract of the project delivery partner.
“We are behind time and I foresee the project will be delayed for one and a half years. Now we are trying to appoint a new company to help JKR Sarawak monitor the project implementation,” said Fadillah.
The Sarawak Pan Borneo project from Telok Melano to Lawas involves a construction cost of RM16.117 billion. – Bernama, March 19, 2021
