KUCHING, June 1 — Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has left it to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to decide when the 15th General Election (GE15) should be held.

Its chairman, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said the matter is the prerogative of the prime minister.

"The general election is a national matter which involves Parliament. Therefore, we leave it to the prime minister to decide on the date,” he added when met by reporters after attending a Gawai Dayak open house at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), here, today.

In an interview published yesterday in Nikkei, Japan’s financial newspaper, Ismail Sabry had during his recent official visit to Japan, reportedly said that now was not a suitable time to hold the GE15 as the country was facing various issues like the rising cost of living and high inflation rate.

GPS which has 18 seats in Parliament, is a coalition comprising Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

On the country’s inflation rate, Abang Johari said the Sarawak government had introduced various initiatives to assist the people, as announced during the state legislative assembly sitting last week.

These include a discount on the electricity tariffs for food producers and retailers, and coffee shop, restaurant and food and beverage industry operators in tackling the rising cost of living. — Bernama