KUCHING: The new Federal Government to be formed should not be extremist but people-centric, says Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
He said PDP agreed with Gabungan Parti Sarawak's (GPS) stand to abide by whatever decision is made by the King in the formation of the new government.
"What I understand is that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong wanted to advise for a unity government, so we abide by his advice and see what is the outcome.
"On the other hand, the government should not be an extremist government. It must look after the people's interests," he told reporters when met before the start of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting here on Thursday (Nov 24).
Tiong's comments came amid growing calls by Sarawakians for GPS not to form the new government with Perikatan Nasional due to the presence of PAS in the national coalition.
Progressive Democratic Party president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing speaking to reporters at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex on Thursday (Nov 24). - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE / The Star
PDP is one of four component parties in GPS, along with Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).
However, Tiong denied rumours that PDP was going against GPS consensus when none of its MPs was part of the state coalition's delegation to meet the King at Istana Negara on Wednesday (Nov 23).
He said Baram MP Datuk Anyi Ngau was supposed to go but could not be reached due to a communications mix-up.
"He came back late to Kuching and then there was a mix-up with his phone, so he couldn't be reached.
"I was also not informed to go because it was at the last minute," Tiong said.
Tiong, who is PDP's other MP and Dudong assemblyman, was attending the ongoing state assembly sitting on Wednesday (Nov 23).
The four GPS MPs who attended the audience with the King were Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi from PBB, Datuk Seri Richard Riot from SUPP and Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang from PRS.
