BN deputy chairman Mohamad Hasan said the coalition will also not allow anyone to use its logo to contest in the state polls, adding this was consistent with its stand not to contest in any seat and in the spirit of camaraderie with Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
The Umno deputy president said he communicated this to caretaker chief minister and GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg during a courtesy call in Kuching yesterday.
“We have officially informed Abang Johari that for the first time, BN will not contest in the Sarawak polls,” he was reported to have said.
He added that although all GPS parties were no longer part of BN, it will continue to offer moral backing to the state coalition.
On Nov 27, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin announced that his party will not contest in the state elections. He said this following a meeting with Abang Johari.
However, PAS, a fellow Perikatan Nasional (PN) component party, has announced it will contest several seats in the Sarawak polls. PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is expected to announce the number of seats and its candidates tomorrow, ahead of the nomination day on Monday.
Meanwhile, at a press conference in announcing the list of candidates for all 82 seats yesterday, Abang Johari said this would be the first time GPS was contesting in an election under its own banner.
All the GPS component parties previously contested under BN, but they left the federal coalition following the latter’s defeat in the last general election (GE14) in May 2018.
Sarawak goes to the polls on Dec 18, with nomination day set for Dec 6. Early voting has been fixed for Dec 14.
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