CM confirms Dr Jerip applied to join GPS

KUCHING: Assistant Minister of Transport Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, who was formerly Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) deputy president, has applied to join Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg confirmed this yesterday but kept mum on which component party Dr Jerip had signed up for to be accepted into GPS’ fold.

The GPS component parties are Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

When met by journalists after launching a trade forum and business matching event yesterday, Abang Johari, who is GPS chairman, said, “Oh, he (Dr Jerip) is still in GPS. He has resigned from PSB.”

He had been asked why Dr Jerip, who had quit PSB and is presently party-less, remained in the Sarawak cabinet.

Abang Johari said Dr Jerip’s application to join GPS ‘is being considered’.

When asked which GPS component party Dr Jerip had applied to join, he replied, ‘I don’t have to tell you’.

When pressed whether Dr Jerip’s application had been accepted, he responded, ‘I’ll let you know-lah’.

The minor Sarawak cabinet reshuffle on Thursday saw Dr Jerip retained as an assistant minister.

The reshuffle followed the recent resignation of Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh as Minister of International Trade and ECommerce and Second Finance Minister.

The first portfolio now comes under Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development.

The post of Second Finance Minister is now filled by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

Wong was the Second Finance Minister for 15 years and appointed as the Minister of International Trade and ECommerce in May 2017.