By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Feb 19: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing revealed today that his party had lodged a report with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) alleging that its former deputy president Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun had contravened the Societies Act 1966 for promoting an unregistered political party — Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).
Masing also cautioned the United People’s Party (UPP)’s leadership to disassociate themselves from Entulu as he could jeopardise the party’s registration (PSB) with RoS.
“We have made a report to the RoS regarding this matter. So, now we leave it to RoS to look into this matter seriously as it is against the Societies Act 1966, under Section 48, to be read together with Section 45,” Masing told DayakDaily at his residence here today.
Masing pointed out that since PSB had yet to be approved by RoS, it would be a double offence to promote the party, especially for those who are not even members of the party.
According to the Societies Act 1966, Section 48 (1), ‘any person who in any manner acts on behalf of, or represents, or assist, whether in a professional capacity or otherwise, howsoever, any unlawful society, or any person who has an office-bearer thereof as if he continues to be an office-bearer thereof or anybody which was the governing body of the society or of any branch thereof as if it continues to be such governing body, in relation to any matter, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine not exceeding RM15,000 or both’.
And Section 45 of the same Act, reads, ‘any person who incites, induce or invites another person to become a member of, or to assist in the management of, an unlawful society shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding four years or to a fine of not exceeding fifteen thousand ringgit or both’.
Meanwhile, Masing continued to criticise Entulu for his eagerness to play a leadership role in the new party.
“I have known him (Entulu) for a long time. So, I would like to advice PSB leaders to be wary of this kind of character. It’s not that we dismissed him for invalid reasons,” said Masing.
Yesterday, Masing described Entulu as a “very presumptuous” person as PSB has yet to be registered, and he (Entulu) had not even been accepted into the party but has already assumed the leadership role in PSB.
“I hope PSB knows him well enough not to take him and gang for granted. Please note that Entulu and gang had applied to join PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat), but somehow they didn’t succeed. So, PSB should take it into account when considering Entulu and gang,” he said yesterday.
UPP passed a resolution during its Extraordinary Delegates’ Conference (EDC) last year to change its name to Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), but it has yet to get the approval of the RoS. — DayakDaily
