LUNDU, Oct 24 — Deputy Premier Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian has rubbished the notion that a vote for Gabungan Pari Sarawak (GPS) in the coming 15th General Election (GE15) is equivalent to a vote for Umno.

The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president described such talks as a tactic by the Opposition, particularly the Democratic Action Party (DAP), to confuse voters.

"Now DAP are saying that voting GPS will be like voting for Umno. I do not know who votes for Umno (in Sarawak). There is no Umno in Sarawak.

"Yet DAP themselves particularly the MPs received allocations from the Prime Minister who is from Umno (in the previous federal government). Their secretary-general Anthony Loke even said they are not discounting forming the (next) government with Umno.

"It is like they (DAP) are stopping us (GPS) from working together with Umno,” he said at the joint installation of committee members for the SUPP Opar and Tanjung Datu branches at Chung Hua Hall, here yesterday.

Dr Sim was referring to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Transformation and Political Stability inked between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan, which involved government allocation for opposition-held constituencies.

The SUPP president stressed that as recently announced by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg who is also GPS chairman, the state coalition will be contesting on its own this GE15, but will negotiate on which parties to work together with to form the new government on the night of polling day on Nov 19.

"Since 2018, we have been politically independent. That is why on the night of election, we will see who we will negotiate,” Dr Sim added.

Later, when met by reporters, Dr Sim said the idea that DAP may consider working with Umno showed the opposition party’s ‘double standard’.

"What has DAP fought for Sarawak? Bankrupt of ideas and only mentioned about Umno and ‘Bossku’ (Datuk Seri Najib Razak). They talk about this nonsense because DAP never thought about what they want to do for Sarawak.”

On a related matter, Dr Sim said GPS must win all 31 parliamentary seats at stake in Sarawak in order for the state to have bigger negotiating power.

He said this includes SUPP having to win the seven seats allocated to the party, and called on members and supporters of GPS component parties to work together to make this happen.

The seven seats allocated to SUPP are Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Serian, Sarikei, Sibu, Lanang and Miri.

"Sarawak was being bullied for a long time but Sarawak is not going to be bullied all the time. So this is the ‘wheel of fortune’ — sometimes, you are at the top, sometimes you are at the bottom. So it’s time for DAP to drop to the bottom.

"So to win the 31 seats, we need everybody’s help,” he said.

Dr Sim also said he would work hard to ensure this target is achieved by GPS even though we will not be one of the candidates in the parliamentary polls.

"The candidates will have to work harder than me,” he added.

Also present at the event were Opar assemblyman Billy Sujang, Tanjong Datu assemblyman Azizul Annuar Adenan, SUPP Opar chairman Niponi Undek and SUPP Tanjong Datu chairman Goh Chin Seng. — Borneo Post