KUCHING: It’s smooth sailing for Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate in Puncak Borneo in the run-up to polling for the 15th general election (GE15).
All three divisions of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and other components of GPS in the seat are working as a team.
Yesterday, no fewer than 500 leaders and supporters of GPS from Tarat, Serumbu and Mambong state seats gathered at the Kampung Sinjok Community Hall in Siburan near here to witness the launch of GPS Puncak Borneo Election Machinery. Tarat, Serumbu and Mambong are the three state seats in Puncak Borneo.
The big turnout was also reflective of the strong unity that co-existed among the GPS components.
Tarat assemblyman, who is also Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister, Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Mambong assemblyman, who is also Transport Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Serumbu assemblyman and GPS Youth chief Miro Simuh and GPS candidate Datuk Willie Mongin was among the leaders present.
Sagah Wee In, when approached by newsmen later, said so far the people’s response was good.
However, he was quick to add: “We cannot be complacent but continue to work hard to be doubly sure that GPS win big in the seat”.
On insinuations by certain parties of conflicting teams in GPS Puncak Borneo, he denied it, adding it was spread by certain parties in the hope to weaken us.
“Our vision and mission are very clear… to deliver Puncak Borneo after the Nov 19 polling,” he told newsman after officiating at the launch of the election machinery.
“On the contrary, I can say that we are as united as ever. It’s normal that in any election there will always be people aspiring to be candidates. But at the end of the day, we will have to decide on one only person because there’s only one seat available.
“So, in that spirit, especially for us in GPS and PBB, we abide by the decision of our leaders. That shows how disciplined we are. So I hope all aspirants will continue to abide by this spirit and discipline,” he added.
Sagah said the top on the list was the interest of the community and not individuals.
“We have to think of the community’s interest first because at the end of the day it’s the community that will lose should we fail to deliver the seat.”
He also said, “We have a bigger agenda than ourselves that is to make Sarawak strong and has a louder voice in Parliament”.
On the issue of Willie, shifting party, he said it was a non-issue.
“You have seen so many political leaders, especially at the federal level shifting parties.”
He described Willie’s decision as practical because he had experienced how things were when he was on the opposite side of the political divide.
“There is nothing much he can do even if he wants to due mainly to the instability in the federal government then. Things cannot be implemented in time even after it has been approved. So what better choice does he has if he wants to continue to serve the rakyat effectively? The people must understand this.”
