KUCHING, April 2 — Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today pledged that he will personally help Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to retain power in the coming state election.
“Don’t ask me when the election is going to be held, it is up to the chief minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg) to decide on the date, but I promise that we will work together because Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) relationship with the GPS is very important,” he told reporters after visiting the Sarawak General Hospital.
He said the relationship between the PN and GPS governments is a good example of close cooperation, and he hoped it can be further strengthened in the interest of the people in the country, especially in Sarawak.
Muhyiddin, who is also Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president, however, said the issue of Bersatu fielding candidates in the Sarawak election will be discussed further.
“We will leave it to the discretion of the state leaders to make whatever decision.
“I don’t want to stress more than that. When the time is right, we will discuss the matter.
“Whatever decision we make, we are friends and fighting on the same understanding.
“What is important is that we want to get solid support from the people so that the state government can be formed again, If possible, a landslide victory, and I think this can be achieved based on the efforts being done by the GPS government,” he said.
Bersatu has one state assemblyman in Datuk Ali Biju who stood on PKR ticket in the 2016 state election in Krian.
Ali, who is also Saratok MP, joined Bersatu last year after resigning from PKR, along with Datuk Willie Mongin, the MP for Puncak Borneo.
The current term of the Sarawak State Assembly expires on June 7 this year.
However, due to the Proclamation of Emergency, the state assembly is suspended and the state election cannot be held.
The Emergency is scheduled to end on August 1.
