They’re friends but all seats are ours, GPS says on peninsula allies

Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will contest all 82 seats in the 12th Sarawak state election, Sarawak Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said today.

He said while GPS is on good terms with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal coalition, it will not give way in seats to any of the peninsula-based parties with which it is friendly.

“I don’t think there are any seats to spare for our friends from peninsular parties who are friendly with us,” he said when questioned after a press conference today.

“They have to respect us because GPS has their own four component parties. Besides, we have discussed the allocation of seats among ourselves.

“So they are a bit too late,” he said when asked if GPS would give way to Bersatu in the state polls.

Bersatu currently holds one seat in Sarawak: Krian, where former PKR member Ali Biju is state assemblyman.

GPS, comprising PBB, the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), is widely seen as a kingmaker in federal politics.

Its support, along with that of PAS, was also seen as crucial to the success of the so-called Sheraton Move which saw the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in February 2020.

Karim said while GPS is open to welcoming new faces, peninsula-based parties cannot gauge the support they have in the East Malaysian state.

“We went through this era in 1930, 30 to 40 years ago, even with the previous political parties during the time of PBDS,” he said, referring to the now defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak.

“Whether it is a small party or a big party, if you want to come then we will have to face them. No matter how big the party is, we are not scared,” he said, adding that he believed GPS would have the support of the Sarawak people.

“If you are a Sarawakian who love Sarawakians, you will support us.

“If you are a Sarawakian who looks towards the peninsula, then support those parties that come from Malaya.”