Nanta: GPS’ preparations for state polls began in 2019
KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has been preparing for the 12th state election since 2019, said its secretary-general Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
He said the ruling coalition has been polls-ready since last year but could not hold the election due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“As GPS secretary-general, I was already instructed by the chief minister in 2019 to mobilise our machinery. Courses have been held and we are all prepared for it,” he told a press conference at a media luncheon here yesterday.
On GPS’ list of candidates, he said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, already has the party’s picks for the coming election.
“For PBB, the chief minister has the names. For the other component parties, I am not certain.”
The Borneo Post on Oct 8 reported Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief Datuk Snowdan Lawan as confirming the party had submitted its list of candidates to Abang Johari for approval.
Snowdan, who is Balai Ringin assemblyman, had said all of PRS’ incumbents would be defending their seats.
“There are no new faces. However, it is up to the chief minister to evaluate and see their performance later,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Nanta said GPS has not held any discussions regarding the Krian state constituency whose incumbent Datuk Ali Biju is from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
“That has not been discussed in general. We shall wait for the chief minister to announce,” he said. GPS and Bersatu are part of the federal government but are not affiliated at state level.
Ali first won the Krian seat in 2011 on a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) ticket and defended it in 2016 by defeating Kilat Beriak of the then Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) with a majority of 1,640 votes.
Ali, who is also a two-term Saratok MP, was among the PKR MPs who quit the party during the 2020 political crisis which ended with the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan federal government.
He and Puncak Borneo MP went on to join Bersatu.
Both are currently federal deputy ministers.