PBB veep dispels rumour of BN return in S’wak polls
KUCHING : Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has dismissed the rumour in social media claiming that Barisan Nasional (BN) is making a comeback in the coming 12th Sarawak election.
Abdul Karim, who is also Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, said that it may be the work of cybertroopers trying to stir up issues .
“For me, what was portrayed in social media is the work of ‘naughty children’, I don’t think they (BN) will come here.
“We have faith in those who run BN. They will not do naughty things like that,” he told reporters when met at the Jelajah Belia Sarawak Programme@ Satok at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here yesterday.
He said Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) decision not to contest the coming state election was a good move, as Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) had planned to contest in all 82 state seats.
“In my opinion, it is a great decision, as a friend at the Parliament level that formed the federal government together, when the state election is held in Sarawak, it’s best to leave it to Sarawak to handle.”
“Bersatu has not taken root here and they are still new, as before this, they were not in Sarawak,” he said.
For Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS), Abdul Karim said he has no idea why they still field candidates in the state election time after time, despite having almost all candidates losing their deposits.
“Why are they still here? I don’t know. I don’t know what they want.
“Same goes for parties based in Peninsular Malaysia, they should stay there and don’t need to come here and disrupt things here, that is my opinion,” he said.
He added that Bersatu has emulated United Malays National Organisation (Umno) who give way to only Sarawakbased parties to contest at each state election here.
“Umno knows the situation here and they (Bersatu) may have made the decision (not to contest here) after looking at how Umno adapts itself with the parties in Sarawak.
“Maybe they have looked in depth into the Sarawakian lifeblood who want to be its own administrator, and also want to handle its own election,” he said.
Bersatu’s president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin made the announcement that the party will not contest in Sarawak’s state election at the Pagoh district Bersatu meeting in Johor Friday.
This was after taking into consideration GPS’s ability to win all seats that it fields, and as it was also GPS leadership’s wish as well, said Muhyiddin.