PONTIAN, Dec 11 — Barisan Nasional (BN) respects the stand taken by Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) not to join BN as a component party but to remain "close friends”.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said GPS’ stand had been mentioned during a meeting he and other BN leaders, including BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, had with GPS chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg recently. Umno is also part of BN.

"He (Abang Johari) did state during our meeting of their decision (three years ago) for GPS parties not to join BN but they said they will be close friends with BN.

"They (GPS) used Sarawak First as their slogan, meaning they want Sarawak to be governed by the state’s parties. So, we respect their view,” he told reporters after the Pontian Parliamentary constituency Outstanding Youth Award ceremony here today.

"We appreciate (GPS’) friendship and when we win, BN wins… hopefully in the 15th General Election (GE)… (in) the Peninsula and Sabah… of course, we will invite GPS to join the Federal government when the time comes.

"It means BN+GPS, GPS not as a BN component party but together to form the government,” added the Pontian Member of Parliament.

Ahmad said this when asked to comment on a proposal by a political analyst that GPS be invited to join BN to further enhance the country’s political and economic stability.

Yesterday, a local university lecturer was quoted to have said that the friendly ties between BN and GPS should be translated into formal political cooperation for a more effective and extensive continuation of Sarawak’s development.

The political analyst had also stressed that this must be done irrespective of the outcome of the 12th Sarawak state election on December 18.

GPS was formed after the 14th GE following the BN government’s defeat that saw Pakatan Harapan (PH) lead the Federal government.

On June 12, 2018, four Sarawak parties — Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) — announced their withdrawal from BN to form the GPS coalition. — Bernama