KUCHING: By now, it should be very clear that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is only friendly with Perikatan Nasional (PN) and the new Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has repeatedly pointed this out, saying GPS would not and would not be a formal part of PN.
Political analyst Datuk Peter Minos said as a matter of policy and principle, GPS wants to be free of any Malayan political party or grouping.
He said having learned from bitter experiences of the past, GPS preferred freedom and independence from Malayan politics and instead focus on guarding and promoting Sarawak’s rights and interests.
However, he said, if asked to help to defend national interests, GPS has absolute discretion to help provided Sarawak’s interests won’t be jeopardised.
“This is the underlying reason why GPS supports PN and the new prime minister,” he asserted.
Minos added that if any MP from GPS is appointed a federal minister by the new prime minister, Sarawak’s stand won’t change ― friendly and supportive but not a part of PN.
He likened it to Warisan Sabah’s friendliness to Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government.
“As an illustration, if your family is friendly with another family, you are friends and help each other where and when necessary or when called upon to, but the two families are not one but still two,” explained Minos.
GPS and Abang Johari, according to Minos, had made a wise decision in supporting the new prime minister and PN because Sarawak would gain by cooperating with the federal government.
“Now that GPS is a friend of PN, some MPs of GPS might get appointed to federal posts. That would be good for Sarawak,” he said.
“On top of it all, GPS will not face a hostile federal government in the coming state election because PH, especially DAP, can no longer use federal powers to oppress GPS and Sarawak as they did in the last two years.”
