Masing: PRS is for all Dayaks, including Dayak reps
KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak ( PRS) president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing has finally said what he has long been wanting to say — that his party is now open to all Dayaks, including all Dayak elected representatives, for the sake of greater Dayak unity.
He said his wish was for the party to be like the now- defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak ( PBDS) in its heyday.
“We are now returning full circle so to speak, when we ( PRS) are allowed to come back and use the former PBDS headquarters, starting March 31.
“PRS now opens its door to all Dayaks for greater Dayak unity, and I will not tolerate those who try to break that unity. We also will not tolerate those who try to break the party especially from within. If you don’t agree, then you leave the party. I don’t mind fighting the opposition, like the DAP and PAS, but not those within our midst, like ‘ musuh dalam selimut’ (enemies within).
“Hopefully, the Dayak YBs will join us, eventually. The door is always open for them. Why can’t we be united like we were in the old PBDS days?”
As such, he was thankful to Yayasan Pendidikan Teknikal Rakyat Sarawak ( Teras) board of management under the chairmanship of Tan Sri Leo Moggie, the former PBDS president, for allowing PRS to rent its premises at Jalan Wan Alwi here.
Among the members of Teras are Masing, Dato Sri Daniel Tajem, Datuk Joseph Salang, Datuk Wilfred Nissom and a representative from the Education Department.
“Tan Sri Leo Moggie and Dato Sri Daniel Tajem are very senior, so their personal interests don’t supersede the community’s interest. This is a good example for PRS; that we should never allow personal interests to supersede the community’s interests,” he said.
Currently, PRS has 11 state seats and six parliamentary seats.
On the upcoming general election, Masing reiterated his party’s stand that Lubok Antu and Selangau incumbents Datuk William Nyallau and Datuk Joseph Entulu would not be renominated to defend their respective seats.
“It’s the party’s decision. The seats do not belong to any individuals, but they belong to the party. So the party has the right to nominate whoever it deems fit to represent it, whether in the State Legislative Assembly or in Parliament.”
When asked whether Entulu and Nyallau have been informed, Masing quipped: “I presume they already know because they can read from the newspapers”.