KUCHING: The next prime minister should continue to protect and restore Sarawak's rights and interests as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, say Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) leaders.

       PBB vice-president Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the new premier must be aware of Sarawak's special rights and ensure that they do not diminish.

       "They have been diminishing for the last 50 years and we have been trying to gain back those rights," he told reporters at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here on Tuesday (Aug 17).

       Karim noted that Sarawak had been able to regain a number of its rights during the last one and a half years when Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was the prime minister.

       "He was sympathetic to us. We hope that whoever takes over after this will continue to work on this matter," he said.

       Separately, PBB supreme council member Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said anyone who aspired to become prime minister and wanted the support of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) must keep the state's interests in mind.

       He said this included restoring state rights and giving Sarawak sufficient representatives in the federal administration.

       "We want a stable federal government which puts the interest of the nation and rakyat first, and which doesn't use our support without giving back to Sarawak.

       "Muhyiddin had done a great job in realising a number of Sarawak's aspirations to recover our rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963," Wan Junaidi said when contacted.

       The Santubong MP also said GPS would make a collective decision on who to support as prime minister, taking into consideration what was best for Sarawak and Sarawakians.

       GPS is the ruling state coalition comprising PBB, Sarawak United People's Party, Parti Rakyat Sarawak and Progressive Democratic Party, and had supported Muhyiddin's Perikatan Nasional federal administration.