CM fortunate to have GPS members, calls for continuous support
KUCHING: On a common understanding, it is important for Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to sail together in its ship to continue to bring success to Sarawak and its people.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the state’s ruling party has its own instrument for it to steer its direction, and that direction must be clear in order to reach the destination with success.
What the chief minister meant when saying this was that GPS component parties comprising Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) must continue to work together in one spirit to bring a greater future for Sarawak.
“The closing of this Gawai celebration themed “United we stand, divided we fall”, is indeed very appropriate for us as we move to the future,” he said during the Gawai Dayak open house and Ngiling Bidai 2019 ceremony at Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) Hall here, yesterday.
Abang Johari, who is also GPS president clearly stated that for the future of Sarawak, GPS needs to build a fair and just society while at the same time delivers the people needs.
“I am very fortunate that when I took over as chief minister, I have the backing of all the components parties in GPS.
“After we took over, there was the 14th General Election (GE14), then the change in federal government. But we in Sarawak continue what we have in mind, what we have planned and we move on. Therefore, I want to thank all GPS members,” he pointed out.
He also agreed with Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing on the “You touch one, you touch all” principle with the understanding that GPS must work together.
“I have more or less with the Cabinet support charted out our development programmes, particularly for the rural areas with substantial budget allocations. And we hope we (GPS) will be able to roll out the plan, just like how when a ‘mat’ is rolled out so that people can have a comfortable life.
“And that is why we want to work based on our common platform and I can assure you that when we work together, we will roll out what the people expect,” he said, adding that the three development agencies namely Upper Rajang Development Agency (Urda), Highland Development Agency (HDA), and Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA) under the Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) were established to speed up development projects in the areas.
“With that I want to express Happy Gawai to our Dayak friends, and may we work together for the betterment of Sarawak because Sarawak is first in our struggle.”
Meanwhile, Masing, who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, said the GPS’s principle of “You touch one, you touch all” must be upheld at all cost.
“The battle cry of “Sarawak First” must take precedence above anything. Thus, sincerity and honesty are of paramount importance among the four component parties in GPS,” he stressed.
He also said that errors committed in Sarawak during the GE14, which resulted in losses, must not be repeated.
“Now, we have the new chief minister, we have a new political organisation, a mandate to administer Sarawak.
“Let us, therefore, just look back to the past, only to learn from what we had done wrong or the insincerity we had practiced, and look to the future with pride to do better and with sincerity.
“As someone once said to me, “An entire sea can’t sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. Similarly, the negativity of the world can’t put you down unless you allow it to get inside you,” Masing said.
