KUCHING, Aug 23 (Sin Chew Daily) — Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) may be rewarded with the deputy prime minister post for supporting Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to be prime minister.

Sin Chew Daily learned that the candidate for the deputy prime minister post from Sarawak is GPS secretary-general Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

Sources said GPS hopes to see a deputy prime minister from Sarawak as this will be a breakthrough in the cabinet line-up.

It is learned that GPS will be joining the cabinet and some members of parliament from GPS are already in Kuala Lumpur now.

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) youth information chief Andy Lawrence openly requested Kapit member of parliament (MP) Alexander to be appointed as deputy prime minister few days ago.

Sarawak deputy chief minister cum PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing also said the federal government should have two deputy prime minister positions with one reserved for Sabah or Sarawak.

Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR) president Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the new deputy prime minister was likely to be from Sarawak.

Alexander, 63, an Iban, is considered the most qualified candidate for the deputy prime minister post, as Iban is the largest ethnic group in Sarawak.

Hailed from a family with political background, Alexander’s grandfather Tun Jugah represented Sarawak in the negotiations to join the Federation of Malaysia and was invited by the late Tunku Abdul Rahman to join the cabinet holding the post of minister in charge of Sarawak affairs.

He was one of the early members setting up Pesaka Party and then the United Traditional Bumiputra Party (PBB) as party president until he passed away.

Alexander’s father Leonard Linggi Jugah was the MP for Kapit from 1978 to 1986. He was also a member of the state cabinet under Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub.

A GPS leader told Sin Chew Daily GPS would welcome prime minister Ismail Sabri’s decision to appoint one of its MPs as deputy prime minister as a form of recognition for Sarawak.

However, the DPM candidacy has yet to be discussed within the GPS leadership.

GPS leaders believe that Ismail Sabri will appoint MPs from GPS to meet the demands of Sarawak in rural development, infrastructure, agriculture and other related ministries.