Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will contest all 82 seats in the Sarawak state election, says Premier Abang Johari Openg.
Abang Johari, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president and GPS chairman, said the decision was finalised at a meeting attended by the presidents of all four component parties at PBB headquarters today.
He said GPS was prepared for the 13th Sarawak state election, although the Election Commission (EC) had yet to announce the official polling date.
“GPS is ready with the preparations related to this election,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Seat allocation and candidate selection
On seat allocation among the four GPS component parties, Abang Johari said discussions would be based on the seats won at the previous state election.
Further negotiations would take place before the coalition finalised its list of candidates.
Asked whether any ministers would step aside from contesting this time, Abang Johari confirmed that some would withdraw, including leaders from PBB.
“There are some, including those from PBB, who will step aside, but I cannot say who at this stage,” he said.
He added that the date for announcing GPS candidates would be finalised before nomination day.
GPS would wait for the EC’s official announcement on the election dates before determining its next steps, he said.
GPS holds 79 state seats
GPS was formed in 2018 after its component parties left Barisan Nasional following the 14th general election.
The coalition comprises PBB, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
At the previous Sarawak state election, GPS won 76 of the 82 seats. Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) secured four seats, while Pakatan Harapan, through DAP, won two.
The composition of the state assembly subsequently changed after See Chee How left PSB to become an independent assemblyman. Three other former PSB assemblymen — Wong Soon Koh, Johnical Rayong Ngipa and Baru Bian — later joined PDP, a GPS component party.
As a result, GPS now holds 79 seats, comprising 47 held by PBB, 13 by SUPP, 11 by PRS and eight by PDP.
See Chee How remains an independent assemblyman who supports the state government, bringing the government-aligned bloc to 80 of the 82 seats. DAP holds the remaining two seats, Padungan and Pending.
EC to decide key election dates on Nov 6
The EC will hold a special meeting on Nov 6 to determine key dates for the 13th Sarawak state election.
The meeting, chaired by EC chairman Ramlan Harun, will discuss the issuance of the election writ, nomination day and polling day.
EC secretary Khairul Shahril Idrus previously said the meeting would also cover the electoral roll to be used and other preparations for the election.
The EC officially received notification from Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Speaker Mohamad Asfia Awang Nasar of the dissolution of the 19th state assembly through a letter dated Oct 27.
The dissolution took effect on Oct 26 under Article 21(2) of the Sarawak State Constitution.
Under Article 21(4) of the constitution, the state election must be held within 60 days of the dissolution.
