CM quashes rumours of defectors to ‘Parti Pribumi Sarawak’

KUCHING: There is no truth to the claim that six members of parliament from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) or Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) will join an outfit calling itself ‘Parti Pribumi Sarawak’.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg rubbished the rumour saying, “There is no such thing as that. Nobody has ever informed me about that.”

Asked if PBB was intact, he replied, “Of course.”

Abang Johari, who is GPS chairman and PBB president, said this to reporters in response to the claims on a purported ‘Parti Pribumi Sarawak’ Facebook page that six PBB/GPS MPs had agreed to join the party.

Not to be confused with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), the ‘Parti Pribumi Sarawak’ page uses a sailboat as its logo as opposed to the Bunga Raya of Bersatu.

The Facebook page also claimed that Bersatu is considering teaming up with ‘Parti Pribumi Sarawak’.

It is unclear whether ‘Parti Pribumi Sarawak’ is actually registered with the Registrar of Societies.

In June, Bersatu chairman and Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said the party is considering opening branches in Sarawak as its fellow Pakatan Harapan (PH) parties – Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Democratic Action Party (DAP), and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) – already have branches.

A group has since claimed it has started a Bersatu division in Lawas, while another group announced it is looking to formally set up a branch in Petra Jaya.