By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, June 13: Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing says he is not afraid to face off with known enemies during elections, but not the ‘munsuh dalam selimut’ (Iban for enemies from within).
The Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president said fighting enemies from within was even harder because they are supposed to be political allies.
“Fighting the opposition I don’t mind. It’s the ‘munsuh dalam selimut’ that I hate.
“I know it happens, but still I don’t like it. It shows the bad side of politics and insincerity,” Masing told DayakDaily when contacted today.
However, he believed that PRS was ready to defend its 11 seats in the coming state election.
“Yes, we are ready,” he said.
On who the party may face in the coming state election, he mentioned Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and Independent candidates (bebas).
“Hopefully it’s just PSB, PKR, bebas. But not ‘munsuh dalam selimut’,” he reiterated.
Masing was reacting to Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president and Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari who had instructed his party’s elected representatives and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component parties to get ready for the state elections, after chairing PBB’s supreme council meeting yesterday.
Besides PBB and PRS, two other GPS component parties are Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
Currently, PBB has 47 seats, PRS (11), SUPP (7) and PDP (3).
For the remaining 14 seats in the State Legislative Assembly, six are held by DAP, six by PSB, one by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) while the Pujut seat became vacant after Dr Ting Tiong Choon was disqualified by the Federal Court in Feb 2020.—DayakDaily
