Formation of new S’wak political coalition ‘insincere’, says PH man
MIRI: Pakatan Harapan ( PH) Sarawak secretary Alan Ling says the formation of a new political coalition following the exit of four Sarawak political parties from Barisan Nasional ( BN) as ‘something insincere’.
In Kuching yesterday, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that the leaders of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB), Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party ( PDP) had made an unanimous decision to leave BN and later, form a new coalition called Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
Abang Johari – also PBB president – said the separation from BN would take effect immediately.
He added that the decision was made after much deliberation, reflection and due consideration taking into account the country’s current political developments post the 14th general election (GE14).
The chief minister also said GPS would cooperate and collaborate with the PH-led federal government for national interest, as well as for Sarawak’s rights and interests based on the Federal Constitution.
In this respect Ling, who is also Democratic Action party ( DAP) Sarawak secretary, said in a statement: “I would have thought that they ( PBB, SUPP, PRS and PDPD) would sink or swim with BN, but it is proven by their action today that they are insincere and would abandon their partners in times of difficulty or crisis.”
Ling – a former Piasau assemblyman – said he felt ‘ politically disgusted’ in seeing these four parties moving out so quickly after BN lost in GE14.
As such, he said PH would remain ‘cautious of such move’ and not likely to take in these Sarawak parties.
However, he assured all that on government-to- government level, PH would cooperate with the Sarawak government for the wellbeing of Sarawakians.
“There’s no doubt about it. We have the people’s interest at heart,” he said.
Ling also said he was compelled to remind those in GPS that with regard to GE14, the people decided for a change simply because they wanted ‘a government that is clean, transparent and undertakes policies based of merits’.
“The people nowadays have the political wisdom and maturity — they have opted for good governance and rejected extremism, racism and most of all, corrupt practices by those administering the country,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Ling said PH is already preparing to face the next Sarawak election due in 2021 – or even earlier – adding that the seats allocation among PH Sarawak component parties would be finalised soon, so that the resources could be arranged.
“Pakatan Harapan will coordinate all election preparations in line with its legitimate and achievable aspiration to be the Sarawak government.”
Ling said PH would make good on its promises particularly the return of Sarawak’s rights such as the 20 per cent oil and gas royalty, and its own authority over health and education matters.