PDP branch wants nothing to do with chairman over support for Krian incumbent
KUCHING: The Krian branch of Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) has disassociated itself from branch chairman Jeffrey Jimbun over his call for Krian incumbent Datuk Ali Biju to defend the seat in the next state election.
This was stated by branch’s executive committee (exco) members, who met up yesterday morning to discuss the matter.
“PDP Krian exco held an emergency meeting to discuss the issue in relation to media reports about Mr Jeffrey Jimbun, as chairman of PDP Krian, having openly and clearly declared that he supported YB Datuk Ali Biju, the federal Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, as candidate for N39 Krian in the 12th Sarawak election.
“In response to his statement, we, the PDP committee for Krian Division, hereby unanimously reject Mr Jeffrey’s statement. His statement is his own personal opinion, and not in line with the decision made by the PDP Supreme Council’s decision in nominating Friday Belik as the PDP candidate for N39 Krian.
“In view of this, we PDP Krian committee unanimously agreed and fully supported Mr Friday Belik as a Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)/PDP candidate in N39 Krian,”a statement from the exco said.
Present at yesterday’s meeting were PDP Krian vice-chairmen Pati Gimang and Langan Limping, its Youth deputy chief Marshall Robert, the branch’s secretary Councillor Wat Sedin, ordinary committee members Augustine Labong, Supol Geringu and Reymon Majang, and party members Andrew Rajau and Tuai Rumah Andau Japar.
Ali, who won Krian seat under Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) ticket in the 2011 and 2016 state elections, defected to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) at the height of the leadership crisis in Putrajaya early last year.
Following Jeffrey’s call, PDP vice-president Datu Dr Penguang Manggil reacted by calling upon Ali to not entertain the thought.
Penguang had said that Ali should not defend Krian in the upcoming Sarawak election.
As a gesture of solidarity and in the spirit of brotherhood to write a new chapter in the political landscape of Sarawak and in the Krian constituency where Ali had won on PKR ticket in the last state polls, said Penguang.
“Since Datuk Ali is the MP for Saratok, and at the same time holding a deputy minister post, it is only wise that he should give way to GPS,” he was quoted as having said.
Ali defeated Kilat Beriak and Datuk Peter Nyarok Entrie in Krian in the 2016 and 2011 elections, respectively.
Both opponents were members of the then Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), which is now rebranded as PDP.
Ali left PKR during the ‘Sheraton Move’ in February 2020, which toppled the Pakatan Harapan-led federal government, and was appointed a deputy minister under the Perikatan Nasional (PN)-led government after joining Bersatu.
Friday, 63, accepted PDP’s endorsement to be the nominee for Krian on Oct 26 last year, during an event at a longhouse in Saratok.