KUCHING, Feb 25 — Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg, in his capacity as Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman did not finalise any agreement with any political party in Peninsular Malaysia for the purpose of forming the federal government, the Chief Minister’s Office stressed today.

The CMO said the statement by Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) that Abang Johari had gone to Kuala Lumpur to finalise the agreement, especially with Umno and PAS amidst speculations of forming the federal government, was false.

"This was only speculation by PSB. The chief minister did not finalise any agreement with any quarters in the peninsula,” the CMO said in a statement.

In a statement earlier today, PSB had claimed that the sight of GPS attending a dinner at a hotel in Petaling Jaya was highly revealing regardless of whatever denials their party leaders belatedly issue.

PSB, led by former International Trade and e-Commerce Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, said GPS abandoned Barisan Nasional (BN) immediately after the general election in 2018 following the victory for Pakatan Harapan, but when this opportunity arose to get back together in power, GPS had no hesitation flying all its MPs to Kuala Lumpur to meet up with their erstwhile partners.

The CMO denied that a photograph of Abang Johari with PAS leaders, including its president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, was taken while he was in Kuala Lumpur.

It explained the photograph was taken in Kuching when he received a courtesy call by the PAS leaders at his office.

The CMO also described a story published in a news portal as fake news that GPS had requested former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to be a middleman in the discussion over the formation of a new coalition to form the federal government.  

"As a mainstream news portal, Berita Harian should re-look the authenticity of their news sources before publishing the fake story,” the CMO said.

He said the story was mere speculation and that the meeting asking Najib to be the middleman did not take place.