KUCHING, Sept 14: Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) has no problem finding qualified leaders to replace potential candidates who had left the party to contest in the upcoming Sarawak Elections.
The affected constituencies included Gedong, Repok, Pakan, Ngemah, Dudong, Bukit Goram, Murum, Belaga and Batu Danau.
Its president Voon Lee Shan claimed that those who had left the party were either impatient to be confirmed as candidates or had their own personal agenda, or were just interested in creating instability in the party.
“Some of them had never been considered as potential candidates, but they claimed themselves as one.
“It was never the intention of the party to marginalise or sideline any potential candidates to stand for elections,” he asserted in a statement today.
Voon also learnt that those who left to join other political parties had persuaded other potential candidates and party leaders to do the same.
Commenting on the group who left the party early this month led by Kenneth Adan Silek, Joseph J. Bunsuan and Robert Saweng, Voon said: “It was not a surprise to us because the party could not agree with them on their struggles which were not based on party constitution.”
The party, he explained, has no provision in party constitution for two party presidents, with one of them an un-elected president or chairman. To him, this was something unheard of in any organisation or political party.
“The party also has no provision in its constitution for racialism or to make the party a Dayak party,” he added.
Voon expressed regrets that those who left the party had not realised that the founders of the party had sacrificed their liberty and put their lives on line to promote freedom and independence for Sarawak against imperialism and colonialism of Malaya.
He stressed that PBK has capable replacements in all constituencies that had been earmarked to be contested by those who left the party and their vacancies will be filled with new potential candidates.
“We have professionals and people with good public standing replacing them, who among them are a professor, a doctor and two who hold masters’ degrees.
“With a team of highly qualified professionals and people of good public standing, PBK is confident that the party will be able to capture the Sarawak government in the coming Sarawak Elections.
On Sept 1, nine potential candidates of PBK announced their resignations from the party following an internal fallout within the party’s leadership.
The Group of Nine included Kenneth Adan Silek (N66 Murum), Ignatius Joseph Bunsuan (N80 Batu Danau), Robert Sawang (N63 Bukit Goram), Leo Bunsu (N49 Ngemah), Sylvester Embuas (N48 Julau/Meluan), Baba Empran (N70 Samalaju), Dr Elli Luhat (N65 Belaga), Lingga Atok (N26 Gedong) and Jeffry Unggat.
A week later, it was reported that eight of G9 had officially joined Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS).
Their applications to join PBDS had been accepted by party president Bobby William and the party’s Supreme Council Committee.
Dr Elli who was also part of the G9 had already joined PBDS earlier.— DayakDaily
