KUCHING: When Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) accepted the invitation to be part of the federal Cabinet it had nothing to do with forming a ‘back door government’ or being undemocratic, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Jemut Masing.
He said it could not be undemocratic because all the Malaysian members of parliament (MPs) involved were democratically elected.
“Also,
a coalition government such as Perikatan Nasional (PN) plus GPS is nothing
new,” he said.
Thus, he could not understand why opposition parties kept on questioning the
formation of the new government because such a thing had happened before.
Whenever no party has the majority to rule the country on its own, a coalition
will be formed,” he said.
Masing, who is also the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, then said that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had briefed him on the possibility of GPS being offered a part in the PN administration.
“PRS agreed with certain conditions being put in place before we take part. One is that GPS will not join PN coalition. We are on our own and not accountable to PN leadership,” he said.
Of prime importance to PRS is that it had assisted in stabilising the country so that government business could take place as usual and peace is maintained.
“I hope he (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) give more attention to the state. After all we helped put him on the saddle. But politics is more complicated than what meets the eye. So I wish Muhyiddin all the best in his Cabinet arrangement,” he said.
