‘Extreme’ Umno not welcome in Sarawak, says Abang Johari

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Abang Johari stressing a point in his speech at the DBNA event. – Picture by Chimon Upon

KUCHING (Sept 3): Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun today maintained that Umno will not be allowed to enter Sarawak, describing the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) ally under the new federal government as “extreme”.

Abang Johari, who is GPS chairman, said Umno parliamentarians would harp on religious issues which he felt was a personal matter between a person and God.

“They don’t know our culture. In Sarawak, we co-exist. We will not allow them (Umno) to come into Sarawak, they are extreme. We can take care of ourselves.

“When we are united, we protect ourselves. And I am confident that we can achieve a developed state by 2030,” he said before presenting RM6.75 million to the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) for its new community hostel.

Abang Johari asserted that Peninsula-based political parties do not know better than Sarawakian leaders at running the state.

Drawing attention to the state of politics in the peninsula, he said that being in the majority meant nothing for a community if they were not united.

“If you are the majority but split, you won’t be able to move forward. Look at Peninsular Malaysia, the Malay is the majority but there are six political parties and another one is coming up.

“There is no way to have a united force if you’re split,” said Abang Johari.

Taking Sarawak’s Bidayuh community as an example, Abang Johari emphasised that it was vital for a community to be united in order to progress.

He likened the Bidayuh community to “cili padi” (chili peppers), explaining that though the population was small, their leaders had assumed top posts in both the public and private sectors.

There are about 200,000 Bidayuh in Sarawak.

Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had recently set up a new Malay party called Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang), after he was removed from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) which he had also founded.

Dr Mahathir had resigned as prime minister in February this year following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government.

GPS then backed the loose coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN), which included Umno, to form the new government with PPBM president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister.

In March this year, Abang Johari had pointed out that the ‘PN Plus GPS’ alliance had nothing to do with GPS supporting Umno or PAS, but was done to “save the country”.

He explained that GPS did not want to be involved in peninsula parties’ political issues, and that GPS will only be focusing on the interests of Sarawak and the country.