KUCHING: Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has described claims that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) will no longer play a decisive role in the formation of the Federal Government as a personal opinion that does not necessarily reflect Malaysia’s political reality.
The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu’s (PBB) Information Chief was responding to claims by Julau Member of Parliament, Larry Sng, that a Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) alliance could secure enough parliamentary seats after the 16th General Election (GE16) to form the Federal Government without support from parties in Sabah and Sarawak.
According to a Facebook post by Larry on Saturday (Aug. 1), the combined 104 parliamentary seats won by BN and PN in the 2022 General Election meant the two coalitions would need only eight more seats to secure a simple majority of 112 seats.
He argued that the outcome of the recent Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections suggested such a scenario was increasingly possible, which could see GPS and GRS no longer holding the balance of power in Putrajaya.
“In politics, we cannot simply say Sabah and Sarawak no longer play an important role in the country’s political landscape. We are part of the Unity Government because we want to see political stability in the country,” Abdul Karim told reporters after officiating the IIUM Alumni Ummatic Sarawak Gathering here today.
He said Larry’s remarks reflected his assessment of the political landscape in Peninsular Malaysia, where a single coalition could eventually secure enough seats to govern without support from Sabah and Sarawak.
“However, we also need to remember where Malaysia’s major natural resources are located. Are political parties based in Peninsular Malaysia really willing to take the risk of not working together with Sarawak and Sabah?” he said.
Abdul Karim said Sabah and Sarawak should not be viewed solely through the lens of parliamentary numbers, stressing that both states continue to play an important role in the country’s political stability and development.
