By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Mar 23: Parti Primbumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Sarawak will make known the status of Saratok MP Ali Biju and Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin in due time.
For now, Bersatu Sarawak secretary Ibrahim Mohamad said Bersatu Sarawak has yet to get in touch with the duo.
“Eventually, when all these (Covid-19 and lockdown in Sarawak) are over, when there is necessity, the Bersatu state leadership will meet up and discuss with them. Their position within the state leadership will be made known.
“It is to our advantage to have them within our state leadership,” Ibrahim told Dayakdaily.
He said currently, there is no necessity to meet up because whether the duo are in state leadership does not affect their appointments as deputy ministers.
“If they are accepted by national leadership, that means they are now Bersatu Sarawak members. Whether or not they will be involved in state leadership, there is still no discussion yet.
“But they are already appointed as deputy ministers. So, whether they have any position in Bersatu Sarawak state leadership does not affect their appointment,” explained Ibrahim.
He said according to Bersatu’s constitution, the two top posts of state leadership namely state chief and deputy state chief are appointed by the national president (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) and chairman (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad).
“So if both Muhyiddin and Dr Mahathir were to appoint the duo to lead Bersatu Sarawak, there is nothing to stop it,” said Ibrahim.
In the week-long political struggle between Feb 24 to Mar 1, Ali and Willie who align with former deputy president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Datuk Seri Azmin Ali left the party to join Bersatu.
They first supported Dr Mahathir to be the prime minister when the choice was between Dr Mahathir and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Later, when the political scenario changed and the choice came down to between Muhyiddin and Dr Mahathir, Azmin and his group of MPs including Ali and Willie switched their allegiance from Dr Mahathir to Muhyiddin.
When Muhyiddin became the prime minister, Ali was appointed as Deputy Minister for Energy and Natural Resources while Willie as the Second Deputy Minister for Plantation Industries and Commodities. — DayakDaily
