We haven't forgotten what DAP did to us, GPS says on post-polls pact with PH

Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) today said it had not forgotten DAP's treatment of Sarawak during its time in the federal government, following a proposal for a coalition to be formed among Pakatan Harapan (PH), GPS and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS). 

"DAP was not kind to Sarawak, especially after forming the government post-GE14," Parti Pesaka Bersatu vice-president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said when contacted. "We have not forgotten that.

"But leaders come and go," he added. "If the chauvinists and racists in DAP are no longer in the party, and if new leaders take over, why not?"

However, Karim, who is the state assemblyman for Asajaya, said he had yet to see any leaders of this sort in DAP. 

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli, who will be contesting the Pandan seat, had floated the idea of a PH-GPS-GRS pact, dismissing any move towards the same with peninsula-based Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Barisan Nasional (BN). 

However, disagreement over a number of issues had caused friction between the Sarawak government and the federal government during PH's time in Putrajaya. 

Among them were Sarawak's RM2.352 billion debt to the federal government, and the remarks by then finance minister Lim Guan Eng that Sarawak would go bankrupt if GPS remained at the helm. 

PH had also cancelled several infrastructure projects in Sarawak, a move that analysts said had been "dismissive" of Malaysia's biggest state. 

GPS, which is expected to score an easy victory in Sarawak come Nov 19, will play the role of kingmaker if none of the other coalitions succeed in obtaining the simple majority needed to form a government. 

Karim previously said that GPS was willing to work with anyone but PH and DAP. 

This time, he said the coalition would wait and see before deciding on a pact with any other party. 

"On who should be in the 'coalition' post-GE15, I believe we should wait for the results before making a decision," he said. 

"What's important to GPS is the interests of the Bornean states, the rights that have slowly diminished over the last 50-odd years," he said. 

He added however that he did not expect PH to give GPS or GRS "a second glance" if it wins with a clear majority to form the government.