PBB man refutes claim of GPS being ‘an old coalition in new outfit’
KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak ( GPS) is different from Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak, in that the former is an independent political coalition that has decision-making power at Sarawak level.
In pointing this out, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Datuk Julaihi Narawi dismissed talks by certain quarters about GPS ‘ still carrying on the old practices, despite having donned a new outfit’.
The GPS – comprising PBB, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) – was formed on June 12 this year following the departure of these four local political parties from BN.
“Some quarters have accused us of ‘ changing our outfit’ only because we are former BN (members) and now (we are) GPS. Personally, such accusation is not right because we are former BN (members) – we were associated with the federal BN. But with GPS now, our parties are all locally- based and operating in Sarawak.
“That makes a difference. And most definitely our (GPS) chairman is from Sarawak, not from Kuala Lumpur,” he told reporters during a joint Gawai-Hari Raya celebration at a hotel here on Friday night.
Julaihi – the Assistant Minister of Coastal Road and Sebuyau assemblyman – also stressed that GPS practises autonomy in terms of certain policies, as it has the power to make decisions at Sarawak level.
He said in the past when the four Sarawak parties were still affiliated with BN, they had to discuss with the federal side on many matters, and had to follow the decisions made by the federal BN back then.
“This is the difference that we are talking about – we’re not just changing our outfit as accused by certain quarters out there.”
Julaihi said in order to see Sarawak move forward, the present Sarawak government had to sever ties with BN and in the process, set up GPS.
He believed that GPS would ‘ stress a lot’ on the importance of Sarawak’s rights and be fully commit to fighting for the rights of Sarawakians.
Kota Samarahan MP Rubiah Wang, Stakan assemblyman Dato Sri Mohammad Ali Mahmud and Muara Tuang assemblyman Datuk Idris Buang were among the VIP guests at the event.