PETALING JAYA: Sarawak minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has echoed advice by a political analyst for PKR to sit out the next state election, warning that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will "reciprocate" any attempt by the former to contest.
In a press conference today, the state tourism, creative industry and performing arts minister warned PKR not to threaten the ruling coalition’s cooperation with Putrajaya under the unity government.
Karim also said there was no point in PKR attempting to contest in the state election, given that the state assembly is dominated by GPS.
“There are 82 state seats. The opposition only has two seats, and both of them are from DAP. We are with the unity government; don’t let it be that this unity disappears during elections," he said.
Yesterday, Council of Professors fellow Jeniri Amir was reported as saying if PKR fields candidates in the Sarawak state elections, GPS leaders would question the party’s commitment to working together at the federal level.
Jeniri had told PKR chairman, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, to seriously consider the political implications of contesting the state election, saying it was more important that PKR retains GPS’s support at the federal level.
“PKR should be working to retain GPS’s support so that it will still be in power after the next general election.
"PKR knows it will lose (in the Sarawak state elections), and this will have a negative bearing on them at the federal level. There’s no point in fighting a giant when you know you will lose," he said.
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