By Chris Bishop
KUCHING, Feb 13: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) is going to disband on February 17.
According to a reliable source, the disbandment would be followed with the party members joining Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) en bloc soon.
“The large-scale absorption will form a new entity with PDP, a component party under Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
“When this happens, the question is whether the new entity would be accepted in Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS),” the source said.
Meanwhile, during the Chinese New Year (CNY) visit to PSB president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh in Sibu yesterday (Feb 12), PDP president Dato Sri Tiong King Sing said the process of merging the two parties was being implemented in accordance with existing laws.
According to Tiong, the merger will also not cause a by-election (PRK) in Sarawak.
Tiong, who is also the Federal Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and Bintulu MP insisted that he did not want to cause chaos, but wanted matters to be resolved first.
In the 12th Sarawak State Election in 2021, PSB won four of 82 seats contested.
The seats were Bawang Assan won by Wong, Engkilili (Dr Johnichal Rayong Ngipa), Ba’kelalan (Baru Bian) and Batu Lintang (See Chee How).
In August 2022, See left PSB to become an independent member of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN).
Meanwhile, on July 13, 2023, Tiong and Wong, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), signaling the start of the potential PSB-PDP merger.
If the absorption of PSB members into PDP comes to pass, the latter will hold a total of 8 State seats including Tasik Biru (Dato Henry Harry Jinep), Krian (Friday Belik), Meluan (Roland Duat), Dudong (Tiong) and Marudi (Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil).
At the parliamentary level, PDP has two seats represented by Tiong (Bintulu) and Dato Anyi Ngau (Baram). — DayakDaily
