No formal ties, says Wong on Masing’s claim of PSB-DAP alliance

KUCHING: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) has no intention of forming an alliance with any other political party including Democratic Action Party (DAP), said PSB president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.

In a statement yesterday, Wong said he had on many occasions previously stated that the party under certain circumstances would work with like-minded opposition parties that share the same vision and mission as PSB.

“We can cooperate with anyone so long as the cooperation is in the interest of the people of Sarawak.

“There is no formal alliance between PSB and DAP as alleged by Tan Sri James Masing,” he said.

He was responding to comments by Masing, who is deputy chief minister and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president, that PSB and DAP had a ‘ secret alliance’ and were cooperating to garner support from urban Chinese voters and neglect the rural folk.

Wong reiterated that PSB is an independent Sarawakbased multiracial party which strives for justice, equality, fair play and progress for all Sarawakians, regardless of race or religion.

He added that he believed the reason Masing was “attacking PSB out of context” was to gain political mileage for PRS.

“I understand why he (Masing) made such a statement, trying to provoke Dayak sentiments against PSB, creating panic and fear among the Dayak community, because he is worried that PSB is able to continue to make inroads into the Dayak community.

“James Masing must sense that the growing strength of PSB poses a threat to PRS, hence his attempt to create something out of nothing to discredit PSB,” Wong said.

He pointed out that PSB had announced that it would contest in between 60 and 70 seats in the next state election, most of which are in Dayak-majority areas.

He said this shows that PSB values the rights of the Dayak people and is committed to improving their living standard and fighting for the rights they deserve.

“PRS, which has 11 out of the 82 state seats, can do very little and is incapable of fighting for the rights and interests of the Dayaks.

“Besides, PRS and GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) are working with Umno and PAS to form the Perikatan Nasional government, meaning that PRS is very much linked to Peninsular Malaysian parties and is therefore in no position to criticise PSB.”

On another note, Wong said that opposition lawmakers in Sarawak must always object to any injustice of governance.

He said that as the opposition leader in Sarawak, he is responsible for leading PSB and DAP lawmakers to play the role of a constructive and responsible opposition.

“We make justifiable objections to issues that will affect Sarawakians,” he added.