Independent MP expresses disappointment over those out to ‘demonise’ him

KUCHING: Independent MP for Lubok Antu, Jugah Muyang expresses disappointment over some quarters in his constituency who have attempted to ‘demonise’ him.

He claimed that they continually accused him of sponsoring independent candidates during the campaigning period in the runup to the 2021 state election, which he said was ‘untrue and malicious’.

Yesterday, several photos showing him with the eventual Independent candidate John Linang Mereejon at an official Barisan Nasional (BN)’s ‘LeaderMeets-People’ session were being circulated.

“The photo was taken on Oct 20, 2021. How can such photos suggest that I was sponsoring John as an Independent candidate. It’s not wrong for a Lubok Antu resident like John to be at any of my functions,” said Jugah, adding that he had actually stayed away from campaigning.

John eventually contested in Batang Ai during the 2021 state election but lost to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)-Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) candidate Datuk Malcom Mussen Lamoh.

Jugah is now in the midst of getting back into PRS after submitting his membership application in March, which had caused a protest from PRS members from Batang Ai and Engkilili branches. The protest was made public during a meeting with PRS president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum at the party headquarters and a press conference on Tuesday. These two branches had each submitted a protest petition through potential PRS nominee for Lubok Antu in the next parliamentary election, 43-year-old lawyer and Lubok Antu District councillor Roy Gingkoi, and PRS Batang Ai deputy branch chairman Gayih @ Agas Thomas.

Gayih also told reporters that Jugah had allegedly sponsored Gemong Batu at Engkilili during the last state election; thereby undermining GPS strength at the constituency. As such, both branches deemed Jugah unfit to represent GPS in Lubok Antu in the next parliamentary election.

Jugah had left PRS and contested in the 2018 parliamentary election as an independent candidate beating BN-PRS’ Robert Pasang Alam and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’s Nicholas Bawin Anggat. He subsequently joined PKR only to quit it in 2020 to become Perikatan Nasional-friendly Independent.