‘Former state BN parties betray spirit of comradeship’
KUCHING: Barisan Nasional ( BN) secretary- general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor has claimed that Sarawak BN did not subscribe to the true spirit of comradeship.
Tengku Adnan told New Straits Times that he had expected the Sarawak ruling parties to leave BN and there was nothing he could do about it.
“I expected this to happen, even though the spirit of comradeship dictates that when we are down all our friends should stay together and fight for the cause, nation and the people. But since they chose that way (to leave), what can we do? We cannot do anything but we now know who is a friend and who is our foe,” he lamented.
The United Malays National Organisation ( Umno) secretarygeneral said if what Sarawak BN did is the beginning of the end of BN, it had to be accepted.
“If this is our fate after serving the government for more than 60 years and the people think we are not relevant we will look into what Umno can do on its own or form another coalition,” he was quoted by another news portal.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Datuk Patingggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is also Sarawak BN chairman, announced the dissolution of Sarawak BN.
Sarawak BN comprising Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak ( PRS), Progressive Democratic Party ( PDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP) decided to form a new state-based coalition called Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS). GPS has yet to be registered with the Registrar of Societies.
The move was made following their dismal performance in the May 9 parliamentary election when the state BN secured only 19 out of 31 seats, a number that was insufficient for a BN victory at federal level.
Sarawak held its own election in 2016.
The once- exalted BN entered the 14th general election with 13 parties but in just a month since its disastrous defeat on May 9, the coalition has disintegrated and is left with only four parties; namely Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan.
This has raised concerns that the opposition coalition may collapse soon.
Tengku Adnan said the fate of the BN as a coalition can only be decided upon the return of its acting chairperson Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is performing the Umrah in Mecca.
Meanwhile, BN Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said the four Sarawak BN component parties’ decision to leave the coalition would have a huge impact on Umno’s restructuring process and Umno would have to relook its relations with BN component parties in Peninsular Malaysia and also in Sabah and Sarawak.
“I hope any discussion ( on the relations) will be centred on the new political scenario of the country.
“We must still be willing to co- operate with our friends in Sarawak even if they don’t have the intention of returning to BN in the future,” he said in a Facebook posting.
Khairy said he accepted with an open heart the decision made by Abang Johari to leave BN.
“I understand and wish them luck even though the decision means that the almost half a century of co- operation among BN Sarawak has come to an end. I hope other BN components in the country will also accept what has happened in Sarawak and not become disheartened by it,” he said, adding the move by Sarawak BN to leave BN marked a new beginning in the political landscape of Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari has refuted the suggestion that the disassociation of Sarawak BN component parties from BN to form GPS is similar to putting ‘old wine in a new bottle’.
He pointed out that although GPS is a replacement of Sarawak BN, the two entities are not the same because their direction would be different.
“We will be different from BN because we are a bit independent,” he told reporters after announcing BN Sarawak’s departure from the national coalition on Tuesday.
Abang Johari said GPS would remain as an opposition at federal level but it would collaborate with the Pakatan Harapan (PH)led federal government because of the federal system practised in the country.
“We are still on our own. We are not joining them as a coalition. We are working with them but we have our own bloc. We work together for the interest of the country,” he added.
He also said after they had formalised the coalition, they would have to inform the Registrar of Societies, BN, state legislative speakers and both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara secretaries of their decision, which he believes would not take long because it is just a formality.
On the sitting arrangement of GPS MPs in the coming parliament sitting, he said the secretary of the Dewan Rakyat would be informed and it is up to the secretary to decide where they will sit.
Asked if allegations against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the 1MDB scandals were the main reasons for them to leave BN, he said: “No. We have considered all aspects after the 14th general election while at the same time we are focusing on Sarawak’s interests and rights.
“Of course we say ‘ thank you’ for whatever success and cooperation we had before through BN. But the situation has changed and therefore we have to get ourselves tuned to the changing situation,” said the PBB president.