KOTA SAMARAHAN, June 22 — Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is ready to face off against Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak should it decide to field candidates in the next state election, said Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu vice president, however, said he believes this was not the intention of PKR president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, but rather that of PKR Sarawak strategic director Iswardy Morni.
“If he (Iswardy) wants to contest or bring in others to contest, and if they are so eager to compete, then by all means, contest. We are always ready.
“But I believe that the PKR president, the honourable Prime Minister, does not possess the same traits as Iswardy Morni,” Abdul Karim told reporters after officiating the Samarahan leg of the 21st Malaysia Games (Sukma) Baton Run today.
Iswardy had recently said that PKR Sarawak would be ready to contest against GPS in the next state polls should it be given the directive to do so, while pointing out that GPS was not part of the Pakatan Harapan coalition.
Abdul Karim, who is Asajaya assemblyman, said he had in the last state election waited for Iswardy to challenge him but the latter never contested.
He also said Iswardy’s remarks reflected PKR Sarawak’s feelings towards GPS.
“Well, from there we can see, it (intention to field candidates) is not from PKR Central but PKR Sarawak. Their ill intentions are evident, it still persists,” he said.
He also said the unity government that GPS is a part of exists only at the federal level.
“In Sarawak, there is no unity government. We only have GPS. Sarawak does not have such arrangement.” — The Borneo Post
