Amid tussle over PM post, Abg Johari says people's welfare must come first

KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has chided a national leader for choosing to challenge Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin over the prime minister post, despite the nation currently grappling with the Covid19 pandemic.

“It is Covid-19 pandemic now and someone still wants to challenge the prime minister. The whole nation is in a chaotic situation and (the welfare of) people must come first.

“For GPS, it is always people first, Sarawak first. Stability is important for us – we must have the common platform to develop in the midst of fighting Covid-19,” he said when closing the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) Special Convention at SUPP headquarters, here yesterday.

Though not naming the leader in question, Abang Johari, who is Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman, appeared to be referring to Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who last Tuesday had an audience with the Yang diPertuan Agong in a bid to prove he had the parliamentary support needed to become the next prime minister.

The chief minister pointed out that when GPS gave its support to Muhyiddin to become prime minister in February this year, it did so to resolve the country's leadership crisis following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan administration.

He added that it was regretful that despite this support, the tussle over the premiership had yet to conclude.

On the 12th Sarawak State Election, Abang Johari said while he is aware of the calls made by several quarters for the polls not to be called anytime soon in view of the current Covid-19 situation, there was no reason why the state could not hold an election during the pandemic.

“GPS would not mind not holding the election (anytime soon) but we believe in the power being with the people. We want the people of Sarawak to give us the mandate to continue governing the state,” he said.

“People have been asking ‘When is the (next state) election? I also don't know,” he jested, drawing laughter from those gathered in the hall.

In a press conference in Putrajaya last week, Election Commission chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh said it was currently not the right time to hold a general or state election with the nation battling an upsurge in Covid-19 cases.

He said this when responding to reports that Sarawak could be facing a state polls in the near future, pointing out that maintaining public health safety during a pandemic was no easy task.

“If possible, avoid holding one (election) during this time,” he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Abang Johari told the SUPP Special Convention that the state government would continue to focus on nurturing Sarawakian talents in line with the objective of achieving developed-state status by 2030.

He said despite being rich in natural resources and biodiversity, Sarawak would be in need of various talents to move forward.

“A lot of Sarawakians are working in Singapore, and it is a Sarawakian engineer who is behind the construction of the barrage at Marina Bay Sands there.

“If our economy is good, this pool of experienced people will come back to Sarawak, so we have to upgrade Sarawak's economy,” he said.