KUCHING, March 8: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice president and Sri Aman MP Datuk Masir Kujat, who quit the party to join Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) yesterday, must show dignity and resign from his parliamentary post as well.
PRS Youth chief Datuk Snowdan Lawan said a person disloyal to the party or institution is not worth retaining and should be allowed to leave.
However, a lawmaker jumping ship and bringing the seat along is an act of betrayal that violated the trust of party leaders and voters, he added.
“Utmost importance to a party is loyalty. That is the basis of a party’s struggle. If you can’t uphold that as your principle, I don’t see dignity in your struggle. This is the highest form of betrayal to the party that had groomed you from the beginning until you become a deputy federal minister.
“The worst is that your endeavour would earn you condemnation simply because you betrayed the trust that the electorates have mandated to you as their representative,” Snowdan said when commenting on Masir’s decision to quit PRS.
Masir, who is formerly Deputy Home Minister under the then Barisan Nasional government, announced his departure from PRS yesterday (March 7).
Others who announced their decision to join PSB on the same day included former Selangau MP Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun, who was a minister in the Prime Minister Department under Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s administration, former state assistant minister and Marudi assemblyman Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, former Lubok Antu MP Datuk William Nyallau Badak and Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak acting president Banyi Beriak.
PBS, led by state Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, was formerly known as United People’s Party before its recent rebranding exercise.
“To just resign from the party (PRS) is too remote to comprehend. I suggest that he (Masir) should resign as an MP to pave way for a by-election. That would be more justified,” said Snowdan, who is also the state’s Assistant Youth and Sports Minister.
He believed that the public at large would read between the lines, whether this kind of party member is a real fighter, loyal to the party and president, in particular, or is practising self-interest above all.
“The moment you are disloyal, you are a liability to the party, no longer an asset,” continued the Balai Ringin assemblyman.
Snowdan also expressed regret that the PSB top leadership decided to accept Masir into its fold.
He described it as unfortunate and a desperate attempt on PSB’s part. Such action will open hostility on many fronts between PSB and GPS, amid their continuous public reassurance of supporting the chief minister’s leadership.
“I am doubtful of their faith. The motive is too clear — to quickly gain an incumbent’s seat without quantified merits,” opined Snowdan.
Other former PRS members and local leaders who joined PSB included Richard Wil Uban, Dato Kristoffer Nyuak Bajok, Raymond Bullie, Vivien Nyut Nasat, Assan Ngang, Ali Adap, Andrew Lamit, Edward Kurik, Andrew Winston Kaya, Penghulu Michael Derin and Patrick Sibat Sujang.
Citing the likes of Entulu, Nyallau, Edward and Richard Wil, the assistant minister believed this would have little consequences to the party considering that the said individuals had been expelled from PRS.
“Historically to us, it is a gone case. It is just natural that they ‘hunt’ elsewhere, amongst the desperate (in their political struggle), but we will remain intact.” — DayakDaily
