[UPDATED] GPS to be part of unity govt, leaves cabinet appointment to Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR – Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will join the proposed unity government in Putrajaya led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the coalition’s chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg announced today.

The Sarawak premier said the decision was made by the coalition, which is ruling over the state, in abiding with the decree of the Yang diPertuan Agong for a federal administration with unity among parties. 

Abang Johari had earlier accepted apologies from two DAP leaders for previous remarks that had offended the state government.

He said GPS will leave it to Anwar, who was sworn in as the tenth prime minister late afternoon today, to appoint the federal cabinet.

Earlier, GPS leader Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who is vice-president of component PBB, reportedly said it was magnanimous of DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke to travel to Kuching to personally tender an apology on behalf of the party to Abang Johari.

“I believe this kind of gesture will go a long way to mend the strained relationship that has happened over these years,” he was quoted by The Star as telling reporters at the Sarawak assembly today.

Karim, who is the state minister for tourism, creative industry and performing arts, noted that this was followed by DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng’s apology, which he also welcomed.

“He was the one who created a lot of tension and anger among Sarawakians for his comments that Sarawak would go bankrupt,” he was quoted as saying. 

“But then he also came up with a statement to apologise, which is very good.”

In his statement on Facebook, Lim did not mention what he was specifically apologising for. The Bagan MP had previously made several critical remarks against Sarawak during his stint as finance minister. 

In January 2019, he questioned why Sarawak owed the federal government over RM2.5 billion despite having a huge reserve. 

In June, he claimed that Sarawak would go bankrupt in three years if it continued to be ruled by the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition. 

A month later, he provoked further ire when he said the Finance Ministry will not channel up to RM350 million for dilapidated school repair projects in Sarawak as long as the state government does not repay its debts of the same amount to the federal government.

Pakatan Harapan (PH), which Anwar chairs, won 82 seats in the 15th general election (GE15) held last Saturday, while GPS won 23.

Barisan Nasional (BN), which is also geared to be part of the unity government, bagged 30 seats.

Earlier today, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor stated that the coalition, which is ruling over Sabah, will follow GRS in heeding the king’s advice on forming a unity federal administration.

GRS won six parliamentary seats in the election. – The Vibes, November 24, 2022