Don’t discuss sensitive issues in public, GPS leaders advised
KUCHING: Component parties of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) should refrain from airing their views on sensitive matters pertaining to the coalition in public but discuss such matters in a cordial private setting.
This advice was given by Datuk Idris Buang, information chief of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB), in a press statement yesterday in response to a statement “Equality in GPS: The ball is in PBB’s court” by Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing , who is also the president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak ( PRS).
“Prominent head or heads of each member party should refrain from just throwing any issue that are meant to be “bed-room talk” to the open, lest it invites unnecessary and even negative speculations,” Idris said.
He added that PBB had been fair and equitable with its coalition partners ever since the early days because of its belief in serving all races and creeds through the power- sharing concept. It has never “bullied “or sidelined any race or member party even if a fellow member party was at its weakest.
“Equality” in the context of party representation in any given coalition may not be the right word to target for because the numbers and data such as the demographics, seats won or lost are never equal. The right word for GPS to strive as has been practised by PBB is equitability, which encompasses being sincere, just and fair.
“Each member party must abide by the principle of esprit de corp, loyal and considerate in order to be equitable to the coalition as a whole. It must be responsibly realistic towards itself first such as acknowledging its own weaknesses too, not just its strength.
It is in these areas of weaknesses that its fellow coalition members should be more than ready to assist and complement. I am glad to say in my more than 30 years service in PBB, I have always seen our party assisting and complementing our local component members at every election including the last GE14,” Idris said.
Idris believed GPS will be a strong front because the coalition’s president who is also the Chief Minister of Sarawak practises the principle of equitability and fairness in his leadership.