Abang Johari (middle) witnesses exchange of documents between SCCI represented by president Datuk Abang Abdul Karim Tun Openg (right) and Malaysian French Chamber of Commerce and Industry represented by its director Alexis Wan Ullok (left).


KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has already received the registration certificate which now officially recognises it as a legal entity.

This was disclosed by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg last night when officiating the Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry ‘s (SCCI) 67th Annual Dinner.

He however did not elaborate further on details such as when GPS would be launched, although he mentioned that the certificate which was the ‘driving license’ for GPS was received on Thursday.

“(Assistant Minister of E-Commerce) Datuk Naroden Majais (who spoke earlier) was mentioning we have just got our certificate. We’ve got the driving license.

“Yesterday (Thursday) we had the license already so let us move together with the same direction and develop Sarawak,” he said in his speech.

Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah when contacted this morning, also confirmed that GPS had received the certificate. Abdul Karim was also present at the SCCI Annual Dinner last night.

On Monday, Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin informed the Dewan Rakyat in the Parliament that registration of GPS had been approved and that Registrar of Societies (RoS) would be issuing an official letter in the next few days.

GPS consists of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

These parties, which formed the ruling Sarawak government, announced that they were withdrawing from Barisan Nasional (BN) on June 12 to form GPS – not long after the 14th general election in May.

On another matter, Abang Johari said the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) has agreed with Sarawak government to train Certified Integrity officer (CeIO) at all local ministries.

He disclosed this decision was made following a meeting with the MACC on Thursday.

“This to make sure everything is transparent and compliant to procedure. Once we have that, we don’t have any leakages. You cannot lobby to the ministers because we have the Certified Integrity officer(s) in all ministries,” he said.

The meeting with MACC was a follow up to his announcement in his winding-up speech at the recent State Legislative Assembly sitting that he would invite representatives from the Auditor General’s office and the MACC to attend the state tender board meetings.