SIBU: The four Sarawak parties which left Barisan Nasional on June 12 to form Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) have promised to return to BN and help it form the next Federal Government should they win enough seats in the next elections, according to a viral video.

The video clip (pic) shows Umno acting president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi speaking to an audience about Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg meeting him on the formation of GPS.

In the video, Dr Ahmad Zahid also told the audience that Johari and leaders of the GPS parties had given their "assurance" that they will return to Barisan and help it form the next Federal Government if possible in GE15.

Dr Ahmad Zahid had previously denied that Johari, who was the chairman of Sarawak Barisan, had met him to inform him that the Sarawak parties were leaving Barisan. It is now known where and when the video clip was shot.

GPS was formed when four Sarawak-based parties - Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) - announced on June 12 that they were leaving BN to form an independent coalition.

In the 2mins 41sec video clip, Dr Ahmad Zahid started off by saying that under Barisan, when former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was the coalition's

chairman, Sarawak BN had performed very well to win 72 out of the 82 state seats in the 2016 state elections.

"In GE14, however they won only 19 out of the 31 (parliament) seats. So what is their choice now? In three years' time, they will have the next state election.

"They want to form the state government. Abang Jo, the Chief Minister and state Barisan chairman sought my opinion on the formation of GPS as a separate entity. I gave my view and agreed that GPS be formed," said Dr Ahmad Zahid in the video.

Zahid told the audience that he hoped that GPS will continue to work with BN so that it (GPS) will be able to win the next state elections.

He revealed that the leaders of GPS had given him their assurance that if BN could form the government again, they (GPS) will return to BN.

However, the press secretary to Chief Minister Johari, Ambrose Cheng, when contacted said Johari had "never met" with Zahid.

Ambrose said PBB will issue a press statement later to deny that the meeting had ever taken place.

When leaving BN, Abang Johari had said on June 12 that GPS was not joining Pakatan Harapan but would "cooperate and collaborate" with the Federal Government.

"We are not joining the Pakatan coalition. We will have our own bloc and we will remain in the Opposition in Parliament," he said.

"We will protect the interests of all Sarawakians."

On the same day, Sarawak Pakatan announced that they will still fight GPS at the next state elections.

Sarawak DAP deputy chairman Chiew Ching Sing had said although the newly formed GPS had declared itself "Pakatan-friendly", Sarawak Pakatan will still challenge GPS.

"The GPS members may have left Barisan Nasional. They may have declared themselves as Pakatan friendly," said Chiew.

"But they are still on the other side of the political divide," he added.