KUCHING, Aug 7 — The 18 members of parliament from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will support Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when a confidence motion is tabled in Parliament next month, coalition secretary-general Datuk Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi said today.

He said the decision was made after a special meeting with GPS chairman Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg, the Sarawak chief minister, at the PBB headquarters this afternoon.

“GPS also takes note of the decree of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong that the administration of the federal government of the day will continue until it is decided during the Parliament sitting next month,” Nanta said in a statement.

He said GPS considered the decision of the prime minister to table a vote of confidence on himself to be a bold and wise move, and the best approach in accordance with the Federal Constitution.

“GPS also considers the action to drag the people into the political crisis and attempt to bring down the federal government when the people and country are in the midst of facing the Covid-19 pandemic, which will only cause anxiety among the people,” Nanta said.

Nanta, who is also the federal minister of domestic trade and consumer affairs, said the priority of GPS at this moment was the people’s wellbeing, overcoming the pandemic problem, speeding up the vaccination process and the state and federal recovery economy.

He said GPS hoped that all groups will stop politicking and let members of parliament decide for themselves whether to support or otherwise the confidence motion against the prime minister next month.

On August 4, the prime minister announced that a confidence vote would be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat when it convenes in September, while insisting that he still has the required majority support from lawmakers in the form of statutory declarations (SD) to lead Malaysia.

Muhyiddin said he was informed by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah that His Majesty had obtained SDs from eight Umno MPs who formally informed the Dewan Rakyat Speaker they were withdrawing support for him.

He had said he was aware that his position as prime minister was always being questioned, adding that he had informed His Majesty that he would determine his legitimacy as prime minister in Parliament.

A motion of confidence vote will be tabled when Parliament convenes in September.