KUCHING, March 16: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) president Voon Lee Shan believed Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Ting King Sing deserved a full ministerial post in the PN+GPS government.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), with four federal minister posts, should relinquish at least one post for an elected representative from the other Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition partners, he said.
He added that Bintulu MP Tiong, who is a party president, should have been given the nod for a full minister’s post due to his seniority.
“If PBB is fair to other members of the GPS component party, PBB should relinquish at least one minister’s post and support Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, president of PDP, to take a full ministerial post.
“Is the principle of equality, fairness and justice practiced by PBB against the members of GPS?” he said in a statement.
Tiong was among 11 MPs from Sarawak roped into Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s cabinet but he declined the post of deputy minister for national unity.
Voon pointed out that giving Tiong, a senior MP with five terms under his belt, such portfolio demonstrated the lack of respect from Perikatan Nasional (PN)
“It time for Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and his party to reconsider their positions in the GPS,” he said.
Meanwhile, Voon also described Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) as mere passengers in the GPS coalition, as not even one of the party lawmakers were appointed in the federal cabinet.
”I am puzzled how SUPP would be able to command confidence of Sarawakians, particularly the Chinese community, when most of the time SUPP, who claimed to protect Chinese interest, has failed to secure a post in the federal cabinet.
“By supporting the backdoor federal government, it is unbelievable that there is no backdoor appointment for SUPP to be represented in the federal cabinet,” he said.
Voon added that SUPP should rethink its position and leave GPS to fight for Sarawakians from outside the coalition.
“Otherwise, talks will go around that SUPP leaders are more interested in preserving their ministerial positions in the state cabinet rather than the welfare of the people of Sarawak,” he continued.
PBB has four ministers and three deputy ministers in the federal cabinet, while Parti Rakyat Sarawak has one deputy minister. — DayakDaily
