By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, May 23: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak Baram branch deputy chief Pauls Baya has resigned from the opposition party.
He explained his decision to leave PKR was due to the disappointment of the party in fighting for Sarawak rights and Sarawakians’ interests.
Pauls said he will continue to serve the people in his own capacity through non-governmental organisations (NGOs) while seek to join Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian and Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How when both of them declare their new political platform.
“Inspired by the fight for Native Customary Rights (NCR) land in Sarawak by PKR under the leadership of YB Baru Bian and YB See Chee How, I became a member of PKR Sarawak in 2011.
“I could see their selfless determination and sacrifice for the rights of everyday Sarawakians, and had joined up to participate in the struggle against the systematic injustice against the deprived.
“With their support and encouragement, we had worked together in Baram, and transformed this predominantly Orang Ulu constituency from a Barisan Nasional (BN) fixed deposit into a marginal or winnable seat for the opposition.
“Indeed, with YB Baru Bian as the then Sarawak State Chief, we were beginning to believe that a new dawn for Sarawak was possible.
“However, YB Baru’s struggle also included plans for Sarawak to be equal partners under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“This did not sit well with the national leadership, and they were persistently undermining him at every turn and had even recruited well known political saboteurs to weaken Sarawak’s position.
“Their ouster from PKR was without any explanation and contrary to the party’s constitution.
“Besides, YB See was unceremoniously sacked just for displaying support and loyalty to YB Baru,” he said in a statement.
He asserted PKR’s main focus was to enable its president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to become the prime minister of Malaysia.
As such, he believed the party had lost its struggles to fight for the rights of Sarawak and the interests of Sarawakians.—DayakDaily
