KUALA LUMPUR - Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) said on Sunday it will support a coalition comprising itself, Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to form the next Malaysian government.
GPS president Abang Johari Tun Openg also said the party agreed to support PN chairman Muhyiddin Yassin to be the coalition’s prime minister candidate.
This comes hours after the King decreed that all parties must declare their respective alliances to form the government and the name of an MP that can command a parliamentary majority by 2pm on Monday.
The announcement also comes as Parliament remains hung following Saturday’s closely fought election, with rivals Pakatan Harapan (PH) and PN emerging with the largest blocks of seats, neither of which was enough for them to form a simple majority government.
GPS, BN, PI and GRS collectively have 131 seats, more than the minimum 112 needed to form a simple majority in the 222-seat Parliament.
Mr Abang Johari said GPS’s decision was made in the interest of political stability and the people’s wellbeing, but it is subject to conditions laid out by the party.
This includes upholding the Federal Constitution and Sarawak’s sovereignty as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963, which includes upholding freedom of religion in Sarawak, autonomy in education and health matters, and other issues regarding the region’s interests.
“To ensure the wellbeing of the people and the country’s economy continues to be preserved, a stable and strong government has to be formed quickly,” Mr Abang Johari said.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin said he is confident of having the backing from Members of Parliament to be the country’s next prime minister.
He said he had met with GPS and GRS leaders who gave their support and trust for him to be the designated PM candidate.
“A few Members of Parliament have also given the same commitment,” he said in a statement on Sunday evening.
GPS’s and Mr Muhyiddin’s statements have cast doubts on PH leader Anwar Ibrahim’s claims of having the numbers to form the government.
In the early hours of Sunday, Datuk Seri Anwar claimed that his PH coalition has in place a simple majority of more than 112 parliamentary seats.
