He added, however, that chief minister Abang Johari Openg had already announced that GPS will contest in all 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak in the next general election.

“So, if they wish to pursue their political career as elected representatives within GPS or Perikatan Nasional (PN), they have to join a GPS component.

“I have no issue with them being accepted by any one of our (GPS) component parties,” he told FMT.

Masing was referring to Julau MP Larry Sng and Lubok Antu MP Jugah Muyang who won as independents in the last general election before joining PKR. They have both declared they are now PN-friendly independents.

Another two defectors are Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin and Saratok MP Ali Biju who quit PKR in February last year before joining PPBM in August.

“They will have to find their way to join one of the four parties in GPS, in order to contest in the next general election,” Masing said of the four.

“They have no other choice unless they prefer to stand as an independent candidate.”

The four parties in GPS are Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Progressive Democratic Party, Sarawak United People’s Party and PRS.

Masing, who is also deputy chief minister, said although he has no problem with Sng joining GPS, the latter cannot return to PRS anymore as the party is now only for Bumiputeras.

“He (Sng) may join other component parties, but not my party or PBB, which is also for Bumiputeras only,” he said.

Sng was previously with PRS, but was sacked by the party in 2007 due to insubordination.