PENDANG: Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has denied breaking his promise with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
Muhyiddin said his agreement with GPS chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg was that Bersatu would not contest in the 12th Sarawak state election.
But it did not include the 15th General Election (GE15), the PN chairman added.
"Before the Sarawak state election, Abang Johari had met me at my residence seeking our (Bersatu) complete support for GPS by sitting out from contesting in the state election.
"This is despite former Bersatu Serian assemblyman Datuk Ali Biju, also the Saratok member of Parliament, expressing his wish to contest in the state polls.
"In Serian, Bersatu has 13,000 members out of the 17,000 eligible voters there, while in Bintulu, we have 40,000 members.
"We have a really good chance to win in these seats. But, I managed to convince Ali Biju not to contest out of respect to Abang Johari, and we gave full support to GPS," he said after attending PN rally here last night.
Muhyiddin said the Sarawak Premier had agreed for Bersatu to contest for the parliamentary seats in Sarawak in this GE15, adding that there was a witness during the discussion.
He stressed that while Bersatu held high respect for GPS' policy, the party had to also honour Bersatu and PN leaders in Sarawak by contesting for parliamentary seats there.
"We respected GPS' policy. But we (PN) were already there (in Sarawak), and I have to respect and appreciate Bersatu and PN leaders over there," he said.
Muhyiddin said he had conveyed Bersatu's wish to contest in Bintulu and Lubok Antu since former Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin had left Bersatu to join Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
"Abang Johari said, it's okay, you (PN) leave the state (elections) to me. You can contest the parliamentary seats. I still remember that, and there was a witness with me."
"So, whatever it is, the matter has been discussed. On a statement (that PN reneged on its promise), I want to refrain from arguing with Abang Johari.
"He is my good friend and supported me when I was the prime minister. I appreciate that (support), but he should also understand," he said.
On Sunday, Abang Johari hit out at PN for breaking its promise not to contest in Sarawak by fielding candidates in four of the 31 parliamentary seats for the GE15.
He claimed that PN had made the promise to GPS in exchange of GPS' support for Muhyiddin to be appointed as the 8th prime minister following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government in February 2020.
One of the four BN candidates is Ali, defending his Saratok seat, which he had won and held since 2013 on a PKR ticket.
Other PN candidates contesting in Sarawak are Jugah Muyang, defending his Lubok Antu seat, Duke Janteng (Bintulu), and Hamdan Sani (Batang Lupar).