Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof (second right) and National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (second left) arriving at Kuching International Airport on Thursday (Dec 8).
KUCHING: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Federal ministers will seek advice from the coalition's top leadership on the key priorities for the state, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
The Deputy Prime Minister said four of the five GPS ministers were paying a courtesy call on Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg here on Thursday (Dec 8) afternoon for this purpose.
"We want to get direction from Sarawak's top leadership on the focus areas for the five of us and what priorities we should focus on for Sarawak.
"So we're coming back to Sarawak to get guidance from the state leadership on how we're going to fight for Sarawak and for Malaysia," he told reporters upon arriving at Kuching International Airport with National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang on Thursday.
Fadillah said they would also brief Abang Johari on the status of the unity government during the courtesy call.
"From there, we will discuss GPS' role at the federal level in the unity government," he said.
Besides Fadillah and Aaron, the other GPS Cabinet members are Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi; Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri; and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
Fadillah said Nanta and Nancy returned to Kuching on Wednesday (Dec 7) but Tiong was unable to come back for the courtesy call as he had a briefing with tourism agencies on Thursday.
He also said one of his main priorities will be resolving matters related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) as he had been tasked to do so by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In line with this, he said he had asked Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali to speak with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to discuss Sabah's priorities in relation to MA63.
"We want to see what are the low-hanging fruits that can be resolved within a month.
"For the remaining issues, we will have to see whether they need to be brought to Parliament for approval," he said.
Meanwhile, Aaron said his ministry was now more relevant following the formation of a unity government.
"Unity is important not only in terms of politics but also racial harmony," he said.
Aaron added that his experience as a Sarawakian would be useful in his role.
"That's what people expect. They want what we have in Sarawak to be brought to the peninsula.
"We don't have problems with unity and we live in a harmonious situation here, so we hope what we practise here will also be practised in other parts of Malaysia," he said.
