KUCHING, March 30: Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) slammed Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing for proclaiming PRS as the party to unite the Dayak community when the latter’s actions proved otherwise.
PBDSB information chief Bobby William said he was not surprised by Masing’s recent statement where the latter declared that PRS was now open to all Dayaks, including all Dayak elected representatives for the sake of greater Dayak unity.
However, Bobby found it rather “strange” that Masing who is also Deputy Chief Minister expressed the wish for PRS to be like the former PBDS in its heyday.
“It is rather weird to hear an ex-PBDS senior veteran who is currently PRS president to say that ‘PRS is now returning full circle’ as they (the party members) are allowed to come back and use the former PBDS headquarters, starting this March 31,” said Bobby in a statement today.
He asked if that had been Masing’s wish, why had Masing allowed the de-registration of PBDS in the first place when PBDS stood as a platform for genuine Dayak unity from the start.
He further questioned why PRS only declared now that it was officially opening its doors to Dayaks.
“By also stating that he will not tolerate those who try to break that unity, especially from within, is truly an understatement, when he is the one breaking such unity by not nominating his own deputy president (Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun) to stand as a candidate for this upcoming election,” said Bobby.
He questioned whether Masing’s move was for the making of Dayak unity or the breaking of it.
“With such an attitude towards his own deputy president within his own party, he is giving a clear answer to his own question on why can’t Dayaks be united again like during the old PBDS days.
“He seems to be mocking the glorious days of Dayak unity in PBDS, by not doing the right thing with his own deputy president,” said Bobby.
He pointed out that PRS’ decision to not renominate Lubok Antu MP Datuk William Nyallau Badak and Selangau MP Entulu was an act that promoted disunity among the Dayaks within the party.
“Is that the Dayak unity we anticipate to see in PRS? Let’s not repeat the episode of the Dayaks’ broken shield all over again. Being self-righteous does not unite the Dayak native indigenous people; we as Dayak should know this by now,” said Bobby. — DayakDaily
