TEBEDU, July 31 — Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) must win in all three Bidayuh-majority parliamentary constituencies in the coming 15th General Election (GE15), said Serian MP Datuk Sri Richard Riot Jaem.

He said this would mean that GPS must regain the Mas Gading and Puncak Borneo seats lost in the 2018 election while successfully retaining Serian seat.

With GPS expected again to help form a coalition government following the GE15, he said it was therefore important for GPS to win these three seats to ensure these constituencies are represented by the government.

"I believe in the coming general election, there is no party strong enough to form the government alone but there will be coalition government. Therefore, it is important that these three seats are won by GPS,” he said when officiating at a leader-meets-people event at Kampung Tebedu Mawang last night (July 30).

Riot, who has been MP of Serian since 32 years ago, personally opined there is a possibility for GE15 to be held as early as this year.

"The coming GE15 will be a significant one, as it will determine the political stability of our country which has been in a political mess since the outcome of the 14th General Election on May 9, 2018.

"In Sarawak, we are fortunate because there is political stability under GPS through the leadership of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. And the political stability has attracted many foreign investors to come to Sarawak,” he said.

Riot, who is Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to East Asia (Japan, South Korea and Taiwan), also said

Tebedu can benefit from the economic spillover created by the relocation of Indonesia’s capital to Kalimantan due to its location near the border.

As such, he hoped the existing Border Trade Agreement will be reviewed to allow bigger volumes of trade, and for the facilities’ upgrade approved for Tebedu Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex to be expedited.

"In my capacity as Prime Minister’s Special Envoy, I have met potential investors from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Recently, I brought some representatives from companies in South Korea and the country’s ambassador to visit Serian and even took them to join a Gawai celebration,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tebedu Mawang village chief Impur Niyun hoped that Riot will be renominated by GPS to defend Serian in GE15.

"If he as incumbent is renominated, we at Kampung Tebedu Mawang will give our fullest support to him. In fact, he never lost in terms of votes in Tebedu. Hopefully, he can win again and appointed again as a Minister in Putrajaya,” he said.

The event also saw Riot declaring open the recently upgraded Anak Tebedu Heritage Hall and launching the village’s new cemetery area. — Borneo Post