Sarawak mahu kestabilan untuk semua, bukan hanya Melayu, kata Abdul Karim

Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, the Chief Spokesperson of the Pakatan Rakyat Party (PBB), stressed that Sarawak desires stability for all Malaysians, not just the Malay majority, in Malaysia. He emphasized that the people of Sarawak and Sabah feel uneasy with developments in the Peninsula, especially as various ethnicities and religions seem to increasingly influence Malaysia's political direction.

Recognizing that most parties in the Peninsula and Borneo were established based on ethnicity or religion in the 1950s and 1960s, Abdul Karim argued that today's leaders need to consider relevant criteria when determining who should lead Malaysia. He pointed out that after 60 years of independence, the focus should not be excessively placed on ethnicity.

Abdul Karim stressed that political stability should not be defined solely by Malay political unity. He desired to see stability and cohesion not only among Malay parties in Malaya but also among parties representing other ethnicities and religions. Abdul Karim noted that Khaled Nordin, the Vice President of Umno, warned that Malay disunity could undermine the confidence of Sabah and Sarawak leaders in leadership from Malaysia Barat.

He reminded that political instability in the Peninsula would also weaken the entire country, including Sabah and Sarawak. Abdul Karim appealed to Peninsula leaders to better understand the concerns of Sabah and Sarawak, reminding them that Eastern Malaysian states are equal partners in Malaysia. He acknowledged that with a relatively small number of parliamentary seats, the Sarawak-based Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is not in a position to determine who should lead the country.

However, he emphasized that the GPS remains a vital ally for parties in the Peninsula that need support to form the federal government. "GPS is very united, and this might cause Malaysian parties that are divided to seek us to bolster their support for forming the federal government. We will act as 'stabilizers' in determining who should lead Malaysia," Abdul Karim concluded.