By Nigel Edgar
KUCHING, March 8: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Youth considers the move by Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) to accept Sri Aman MP Datuk Masir Kujat into its fold yesterday as an act of mockery and enmity against GPS.
“As a matter of discipline, we cannot condone the fact that there are non-GPS members in the state cabinet enjoying all the privileges and resources in the GPS government while leading a non-GPS political party to recruit members from GPS with the clear intent to disrupt GPS’s stability and solidarity among its component parties,” GPS Youth deputy chief Miro Simuh told a press conference here today.
He was referring to PSB president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and his deputy, Datuk Jerip Susil, holding portfolios in the state cabinet. Wong is Second Finance Minister, while Dr Jerip is Assistant Minister of Transportation. Both were former Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) members before forming splinter party United People’s Party (UPP), which is now formally registered as PSB.
PSB is not a GPS member but it accepted a GPS MP in Masir and two former Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) leaders — former Selangau MP Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun and former Lubok Antu MP Datuk William Nyalau Badak — into its party yesterday.
Both Entulu and Nyallau were sacked from PRS, a component party of GPS, after committing insubordination against the party leadership on April 2018 right before the last General Election (GE14).
Miro emphasised that GPS’s core principles were based on unity and cooperation within and between component parties.
He added that GPS’s effort was to unite Sarawakians to fight for a better future for Sarawak, and GPS Youth was of the view that PSB was not toeing the line of the said core principles of GPS.
“We find it weird and strange that certain members that oppose the core principles of GPS are also members of our state government executives.
“We believe that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s wisdom will resolve this issue for the betterment of Sarawak, and we, GPS Youth, fully supports our Chief Minister’s view on this matter,” he said.
He pointed out that while GPS had been entrusted by Sarawakians to pursue the state’s rights and position according to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), simultaneously GPS Youth does not condone any divisive politicking to distract the state government’s focus in putting Sarawak first.
He emphasised that Sarawak needed a strong and dedicated local-based political alliance to safeguard the state’s rights and interest, not a platform to divide but to unite the state government’s struggle to put Sarawak first.
“Therefore, GPS is the only local-based political alliance that has the experience and strength to lead Sarawak and her people towards a promising future and strong era.
“We, the GPS Youth, stand united and firm to defend and confront any malicious attempts to destroy and divide the harmonious Sarawakian community,” said Miro.
Asked if the state government would continue to provide Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) funds to Masir, PRS Youth chief Datuk Snowdan Lawan said that would be up to Abang Johari’s prerogative. — DayakDaily
