Stay out of PRS affairs, Masing tells Rayong
KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak ( PRS) has finally put its foot down on the imbroglio over Lubok Antu when its president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing advised United People’s Party ( UPP) Youth chief Dr Johnichal Rayong Ngipa to back off from interfering in PRS affairs.
He said it has been the practice in Barisan Nasional ( BN) that matters concerning each component party should be handled by the party concerned without interference from outsiders in order to maintain the cordial relationship among the BN component parties.
“My advice is, please leave the six PRS seats alone. We have our own way to nominate our candidates. This is especially so in Lubok Antu. Whoever we nominate, I hope other component parties including UPP will also assist in the upcoming general election,” Masing said here yesterday.
Masing was commenting on Rayong’s continuous efforts to lobby for current Lubok Antu MP Datuk William Nyallau Badak to be re-nominated.
“As the 14th general election is still far away which I believe will be held next year, so I hope all our six MPs will continue to carry out their duties and serve the people at the grassroots levels. And we have not finalised our list of candidates yet,” Masing reiterated.
Recently, PRS Youth information chief Andy Lawrence had told Rayong that anyone who is neither a PRS member nor a member of a Barisan Nasional ( BN) component party does not have the right to nominate a PRS candidate.
“Anyone who is not a PRS member and not in the BN family has no locus standi to nominate a PRS or BN candidate,” Andy had said in defending his party when a news article titled ‘ Nyallau undisputed BN candidate for Lubok Antu – Rayong’ was published recently.
It was reported that when officiating at Rumah Imau’s new roofing and closing of Gawai Dayak function recently which was attended by Nyallau, Rayong, who is Engkilili assemblyman, had said that there should not be any other person nominated as the BN candidate in Lubok Antu.
In the news report, Rayong was quoted as saying that he represented 27 heads of longhouses in Batang Ai Hilir and Lower Skrang who were also present during the function, who he claimed wholeheartedly supported Nyallau as their candidate in the upcoming 14th general election.
Rayong was also quoted as saying that if any outsider were to be brought to Lubok Antu, the person might not have the support of the voters.
It has been rumoured that Nyallau, a third- term MP for Lubok Antu, will be replaced by a female candidate.
The parliamentary constituency of Lubok Antu, which is predominately an Iban area, consists of Batang Ai and Engkilili state constituencies.
Besides Lubok Antu, PRS’ other parliamentary seats are Sri Aman, Julau, Kanowit, Selangau and Hulu Rajang.