By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, April 23: There is no need for Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) to merge with Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) when the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition has attained a good political equilibrium, says Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He was responding to PDP president Dato Seri Tiong King Sing who recently expressed his openness to a proposal on a merger between Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) component parties, PDP and PRS, as suggested by Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president Datuk Larry Sng.
“Personally, I see there’s no need (for PDP-PRS merger).
“In politics, we have to look at the equilibrium. If (GPS) has managed to attain a certain equilibrium which is good already, don’t rock the boat,” he said at a press conference during Aidilfitri gathering organised by Integrated Regional Samarahan Development Authority (IRSDA) held at Baitulmakmur II building here today.
Abdul Karim further said that should the merger between PDP and PRS happen, PDP as the party with less seats would have to be dissolved before having its members join PRS en bloc, akin to Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) – a local-based party which had been dissolved with its members joining PDP en bloc earlier this month.
“Is Tiong willing to dissolve PDP? However, this is only me teasing. Sometimes people get excited to get married again where their marriage has yet to reach a month but they are ready to wed again.
“It is not impossible for PDP to make another offer for PBB to join them too. This is only my Hari Raya joke,” he pointed out.
Additionally, Abdul Karim explained that PSB’s recent dissolution with its members being absorbed into PDP symbolised a good move as the former was an Opposition party which would solidify the Sarawak government’s strength even further.
“However, when we have four component parties in GPS (PBB, PRS, PDP and Sarawak United People’s Party) and one party suddenly discusses with another to merge. What would the remaining two parties feel? This is for Tiong to see from a bigger perspective.
“But again, Tiong was not saying that they are making efforts on realising the proposal but merely answering the call by Sng. Why don’t you (Tiong) tell (Sng) to dissolve PBM and join (PDP) instead? At least the Julau area can be put under a State-based party,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
