KUCHING, Dec 5 — Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob hopes that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will remain in power after the 12th state election to see more projects being implemented in Sarawak.

The Prime Minister opined that the federal government and the state government of Sarawak should not be from a different coalition.

“A few weeks after this, I hope GPS still maintains as the government in Sarawak so that more projects can be implemented in Sarawak.

“I am not campaigning as I cannot campaign now. I am just reminding that continued development matters, and evidence is there that when the (federal) government changed in 2018, (some) approved projects were cancelled.

“To ensure continued development, the state government and the federal government must be close to each other and from the same party,” he said before launching the Pan Borneo Sarawak for Work Package Contract 03 (Serian Section) today.

Ismail Sabri said he would want to be with GPS candidates in the coming election campaign, if he could make time.

“If I have time to be here, for sure, I will be together with GPS candidates.”

The prime minister said this was not the first time he visited Serian since he campaigned for then Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates, now GPS, in the last state polls.

He said he remembered being with Tebedu incumbent Datuk Amar Michael Manyin Jawong and other then BN candidates during his last visit to Serian.

“I was with Michael Manyin and other BN candidates as well as BN supporters in Serian,” he added.

Manyin will not be defending Tebedu for Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) this election as GPS has announced to field a new face Simon Sinang Bada.

Earlier, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg extended appreciation to Manyin whom he said had contributed tremendously to the development in Serian.

“I thank Michael Manyin for his tremendous contribution which sees Serian developed from a district to a division, as well as other infrastructure development brought to Serian along with other elected representatives,” said the GPS chairman.

The Election Commission has set tomorrow (Dec 6) as nomination, Dec 14 as early voting and Dec 18 as polling day. — Borneo Post