State govt out of BN?
News portal report of Taib meeting Dr Mahathir sends rumour mill spinning
KUCHI NG: A r ep or t by Malaysiakini that Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud met Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in Kuala Lumpur yesterday morning has set off a frenzy of speculations over the possibility that the state government would pull out of the Barisan Nasional ( BN).
According to the news portal a senior Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB) member who declined to be named said the meeting included former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.
But should BN Sarawak need to move (to join PH), we must do it as one entity. We must be seen as people of principle and not like frogs. Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, PRS president
The PBB leader did not dismiss the possibility that the meeting was about the formation of a state based unity government with Pakatan Harapan as there were talks of such a possibility if BN were to lose the general election.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah expressed surprise over the news when The Borneo Post contacted him earlier yesterday evening to verify the report saying the media seemed to know more than the state BN ministers.
However, another Deputy Chief Minister and PRS president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing said both Taib and Dr Mahathir did meet as they have been longtime friends and that Taib is a well-respected national leader who only want the best for Sarawak.
“But should BN Sarawak need to move (to join PH), we must do it as one entity. We must be seen as people of principle and not like frogs,” he stressed.
He revealed that there has been no indication of where Sarawak BN will go as Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has not called for any meeting.
“In as far as we are concerned, we have stated that we are in BN. And as of now, that’s our stand. But tomorrow we never know. But we will need to discuss this issue at length if the need arises and we should be united and not fragmented,” he added.