GPS only a loose alliance, says Lau

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Robert Lau

SIBU: SUPP Bawang Assan Branch chairman Robert Lau says the formation of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) comprising four parties that have left the Barisan Nasional is just a loose coalition.

It’s just a party formation without any legal structure and entity, he said when contacted yesterday.

Lau added there should be a better way in working as partners rather than hastily becoming a member of a new alliance.

“SUPP has been an independent party that follows its own purposes and objectives.

“If it comes under a new party with different political parties in it, then there are bound to be different issues cropping up, like what happened in the Barisan Nasional with 13 parties.”

He said from the lessons learned in the Barisan Nasional coalition, decision-making was supposed to be based on consensus, but, in reality, one dominant party had said all and decided all.

He questioned how, in the new GPS coalition, the relationship would be working out its decision-making and power-sharing.

“These are issues to be looked into. We have just left the Barisan Nasional that was made up of 13 parties.

“Now, we are going into another set-up even though the number (of parties) has been reduced to four.”

He said the same issue remained.

“Is there going to be a dominant party among the four, and what role will SUPP play?” Lau noted, adding that all four political parties had their respective constitution.

He said SUPP, being the oldest political party in Sarawak formed in 1959, was a party by itself for so long.

“I feel SUPP should be on its own while working with the other three political parties in the formation of the Sarawak government.”

He said the aims and objectives of SUPP, since its formation, had not changed.

“It is now an opportunity to see what the party is about in its struggle, especially in the autonomy of Sarawak based on MA63.

“Every Sarawakian is concerned. That is the cause for SUPP’s formation and struggle.”