PKR members to rally support for Baru

KUCHING: Supporters of Works Minister Baru Bian are expected to converge at Kuching International Airport today in a show of support for the PKR Sarawak chairman.

According to postings now viral on social media, the event which is scheduled at 9.30am is held as a show of solidarity and support for Baru who is rumoured to be replaced as the state chief.

The supporters are also requested to dress up in traditional and cultural attire and bring banners and placards of support.

Baru, who is the Selangau MP and Ba Kelalan assemblyman, however declined to comment on the event when contacted yesterday.

PKR Sarawak information chief Vernon Kedit on the other hand said the event will go on as scheduled.

Baru was recently reprimanded and ticked off by PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for failing to attend the 13th PKR National Congress last weekend, which led to rumours that he could be replaced as the PKR Sarawak chairman.

There have been talks that Julau MP Larry Sng, who is the only Sarawakian elected to the PKR’s Central Leadership Council (MKN) could replace Baru.

Baru and most of those in PKR Sarawak were aligned to Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, who successfully defended the PKR deputy president post by defeating Rafizi Ramli. Sng is aligned to Rafizi.

Meanwhile, Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS) founding chairman Francis Siah has called off the purported show of support for Baru at the Kuching International Airport today.

He said that if Baru allows the rally to proceed, it can be described as a return to the Barisan Nasional syndrome which Malaysians rejected during the May 9 general election.

“Baru is a decent and responsible leader. We ask him to act rationally and with wisdom in his political maneuvers in Sarawak.

“No one should think that he is a hero in Sarawak. The rally, even if voluntarily initiated by party members, is viewed as a facade for personal glorification. We have enough of self-proclaimed ‘BN heroes’ in the past,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He also reasoned that PKR members in Sarawak are generally not well-to-do people and for them to go down to Kuching from their districts cost money.

“Who are paying for them? Are towkays behind him now that he is a Minister? Will he be indebted to them for the favour? Herein lies the danger of political demos. There is no necessity for this show of support.

“Baru is the Sarawak PKR chief and as a leader, he should be able to handle his personal crisis. Being told off by Anwar is a small issue which he can resolve with his party president,” Siah said.