Nyallau explains his absence from PRS anniversary dinner
SRI AMAN: Parti Rakyat Sarawak ( PRS) supreme council member Datuk William Nyallau Badak says people should not question his loyalty to the party because he was absent from the party’s 13th anniversary dinner here Sunday night.
The Lubok Antu MP said he had informed the organising chairman Dato Sri Doris Sophia Brodie, the reason of his absence prior to the dinner.
He explained that he had to attend the Barisan Nasional ( BN) National Budget 2018 pre council meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday
“This is a closed door meeting and MPs and Senators from BN must attend it,” he said when contacted in Kuala Lumpur.
“I also have SMS her (Doris) and whatsapp PRS supreme council chat group informing my regrets for not being able to attend the dinner.”
He pointed out that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and Selangau MP Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun and Kanowit MP Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang were also in Kuala Lumpur attending the BN meeting.
“The anniversary was originally planned to be held on Oct 21 whereby I confirmed I could attend it but they postponed it to Oct 22 and it coincided with our BN pre council meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (who is also the BN chairman). So I chose to attend the BN pre council meeting because as MP, I am duty bound to attend.”
“If that is the excuse for them to accuse me of being disloyal to the party, then I totally disagree. I have even bought five tables for PRS Enngkilili and Batang Ai members,” he said
He was responding to dinner speeches of PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing and that of Doris, asking members to be loyal to the party.
PRS aims to create history by being the first Dayak-based party to field women in the next general election and rumours are rife that Nyallau and Entulu would be the casualties of this exercise.
In his speech during the dinner Masing affirmed the party’s stand of fielding one or two women.
Doris who is also Political Secretary to chief minister is expected to replace Nyallau while Rita Insol is touted as a replacement for Entulu in Selangau.
Rita is Dayak Oil Palm Planters Association (Doppa) vice president and member of the Serakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS) Bintulu.