A WAR of words has erupted in Sarawak between opposition party leaders and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chiefs following the move by the ruling coalition to back Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for the prime minister’s post.
The heated exchange has been non-stop since Thursday, which was the eve of Ismail Sabri’s appointment to the top job by the Agong.
From the looks of things, the tirade coming from both sides of the political aisle looks set to continue until the 12th state election.
Friday saw Sarawak Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Chong Chien Jen from DAP come out with his guns blazing against ruling coalition GPS, accusing them of betraying Sarawakians and not opting for the change that could have granted autonomy for East Malaysia.
A day earlier, it was clear that the entire bloc of 18 MPs from the state administration was going to give their backing to the Umno vice-president to lead the new administration.
The coalition’s chief whip and senior vice-president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof had at that time given hints that Ismail Sabri was the only one on the GPS radar.
“All GPS MPs made the same declaration of support to that candidate. 17 GPS MPs and Lubok Antu independent Jugah Muyang had an online videoconference with the Agong.
“Bintulu MP and Progressive Democratic Party president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing personally went to the palace for the audience with Agong. All GPS MPs declared support only for him,” Fadillah had told reporters in Kuching.
The 18 Sarawakian lawmakers were the first to be granted an audience with the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah to confirm their choice for the ninth prime minister.
Sources from a GPS component party told The Vibes that the ruling state government coalition will not support Pakatan Harapan’s choice of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
All this while, GPS has made known its clear stance that it is friendly to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government. Ismail Sabri, who is from Umno, is part of the PN Government, so GPS will support him.
“Chief Minister, and GPS chairman, Datuk Abang Johari Openg is not going to rock the boat and support Anwar,” the source had said.
He pointed out that PN still holds the advantage despite the fact that no single MP or party commands majority in the Dewan Rakyat.
Similarly, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) information chief Adam Yii had told The Vibes last Monday that “for now, we in GPS maintain the status quo of being friendly to PN”.
Yii, who is Miri mayor, said GPS will maintain ties with PN for the sake of administering the country.
Yii said GPS wanted to maintain the status quo of supporting PN even when Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin was prime minister.
Meanwhile, opposition Parti Sarawak Bersatu president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, had blasted the ruling coalition for making a U-turn and supporting Umno when three years ago, their leaders had cut off ties with Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) to form GPS after they lost Putrajaya.
However, state’s Assistant Public Communication Minister Abdullah Saidol retorted this morning that PH was the cause of the mess at the federal level.
The PBB leader blamed them for creating the political muddle stemming from their constant power struggles, even amongst themselves when they held Putrajaya.
It is expected that this war of words and political rhetoric will boil over into the 12th state election very soon.
The Agong had granted Sarawak an extended health emergency until February next year, effectively delaying the state polls that were supposed to be held within two months of the automatic dissolution of the state assembly on June 7.
Sources told The Vibes today that the state election may likely be held in October this year after Budget 2022 is tabled in Parliament.
The new PM and PN will want to use Sarawak as a testing ground before they call for GE15 (the 15th general election) to cement their grip in Putrajaya.
“GPS wants the 12th state election simultaneously with GE15 but very likely, Sarawak will have to go for state polls first as the new PM will need some time to sort out the candidates for GE15 in the peninsula states and Sabah,” said the GPS source.
Therefore, it looks like Sarawak is going to be turned into a political battleground very soon.
And with the Covid-19 on an upward surge again in this vast state, especially the Delta variant, I dread to think what is looming ahead for us ordinary Sarawakians. – The Vibes, August 22, 2021
Stephen Then is a reporter at The Vibes. He is based in Miri
