GE15: Malaysia's GPS secures 23rd parliamentary seat through victory in Baram

KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secured its 23rd parliamentary seat on Monday (Nov 21), further strengthening its position in the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives).

This follows a win by candidate Anyi Ngau in the Baram constituency in Malaysia’s 15th General Election.

According to the latest results posted on the country’s election commission website, the incumbent Baram Member of Parliament (MP) won the three-cornered fight with a 7,339-vote majority. He obtained a total of 18,399 votes.

Anyi defeated Pakatan Harapan’s Roland Engan and independent candidate Wilfredentika, who secured 11,060 and 324 votes respectively.

The election commission earlier opened 12 polling stations in the constituency after voting at several centres was suspended on polling day due to bad weather.

GPS  - which comprises Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) – contested in all 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak.

On Sunday, the party said it was ready to enter a coalition with Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah to form the next federal government.

There are 222 seats in Malaysia’s Lower House and any governing coalition needs to have control of at least 112 seats.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) and PN are both in pole position to form the next government, winning 82 and 73 seats respectively.

GPS chairman Abang Johari Openg said the cooperation would also be based on freedom of religion and culture in Sarawak, autonomy for the state in education and health matters as well as other matters regarding Sarawak's interests.

“Our main focus now should be on the country’s stability and well-being of people,” he said.