Abang Johari (second left) greeted by GPS members and supporters upon arrival at Sibu Civic Centre. Also seen (from left) are Dr Annuar, Uggah and Abdul Karim Rahman.
SIBU: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is hoping that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Zone 9 would be a platform to wrest all the seats in Sibu in the next state election.
He observed that Sibu had been a ‘problem’ in past elections as the candidates fielded had continued to lose.
“Now, we give candidates who can win in Sibu because we have an agenda for Sibu. We want to expand Sibu including Kampung Datu, Kemuyang, and Nangka New Township (Mile 11 Oya Road),” he said in launching GPS Zone 9 Sibu at the civic centre here yesterday, which was attended by some 2,500
members of component parties of GPS.
For the record, only one of the five state seats here is under GPS.
Nangka has Dr Annuar Rapaee from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) – a component party under GPS – as its assemblyman.
The state seats of Bukit Assek and Pelawan are under Democratic Action Party (DAP) which is a component of Pakatan Harapan (PH), while Bawang Assan and Dudong are under Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) – an independent Sarawak-based party.
Abang Johari, who is GPS chairman, added: “We have a master plan for Sibu, but give us the power to implement that master plan for Sibu.”
Taking Bukit Assek area as an example, he said: “We want to enter, but others look after it. If we win Bukit Assek, we would develop it.”
Abang Johari also spoke at length about the agriculture sector.
GPS Zone 9 Sibu covers Bawang Assan, Nangka, Bukit Assek, Pelawan and Dudong.
Among those present were deputy chief ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, Minister of Local Government and Housing Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of Public Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Minister of Welfare, Community Welbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) deputy president II Datuk Chieng Buong Toon.