SIBU, July 13: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh will seek the decision of the party’s Annual Delegates’ Conference (ADC) on whether he should resign from the cabinet.
Wong who is holding two portfolios of Second Finance Minister as well as International Trade and E-Commerce Minister said that was because he has no moral locus standi to represent the party in the cabinet and “it is a matter political integrity” for him to do so.
“Since the State leadership has cut off the arms and legs of our party, PSB, I am of the opinion that I would have no moral locus standi (right or capacity) to represent the party PSB in the State Cabinet.
“I will seek the approval of ADC as to whether I should resign from the Cabinet, after all, to me, it is a matter of political integrity to do so. And resignation is the only honourable way out because the cabinet post is for the party and not for me personally,” said Wong when giving his speech at PSB’s ADC held at a local hotel here today.
On Jerip’s resignation, Wong said it did not come as a shock to him.
“For some time now, whenever he was with me, his body language somehow showed it all – he has not been with PSB for quite sometime.
“What shocked me is how he could take photos with us with our arms locked pledging to sink and swim together and signed an agreement to profess that he would not jump ship regardless of any offer of benefits or posts. And on the very day, he resigned from the party. He totally ignored and did not honour a signed agreement,” said Wong.
He opined that any politcal leaders who do not stand by his principles normally will lose all iota of credibility.
“But Dr. Jerip is only human with all his political weaknesses; he left us with reasons only best known to himself. As far as PSB is concerned, he has been consigned to the political oblivion.”
“In politics, we rise with opportunity but we need wisdom to exit. It is most dishonourable for him to leave us in that dishonourable manner. There is no political integrity and credibility,” said Wong.
Wong also believed that it was because of PSB’s rise that some component parties in ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak were “unhappy”.
“They may have felt threatened and have put pressure on the Chief Minister to impose measures to sideline us by cutting us off from the appointment of councillors and government agencies.
“GPS has also taken steps to freeze all YBs’ MRP fund and RTP fund. Instead of being part of the State Government, we are now treated as opposition members.”
“We fail to understand why GPS has suddenly now turned hostile to us. We PSB merely took in some leaders who either resigned or had been sacked from some component parties of GPS.
“We did so with good intention of strengthening not just our party but also indirectly helping GPS in the event of these leaderschoose to join the opposition,” he said.
Wong said the launch of PSB in various areas and recruitment of new members was to enable the party to serve more people particularly the rural community.
“These areas may have belonged to some component parties of GPS. I can see no wrong in what we are doing; after all, in the constituencies currently held by PSB, there are likewise GPS parties actively pursuing and trying to take over e.g in Bawang Assan, Duduong, Engkilili and Opar. This is tantamount to the age-old saying ‘Do not do unto me what I can do unto you’.
“Perhaps GPS may have viewed our recent rapid ascent to a bigger and more popular party as a threat to them, which prompted them to take drastic action against us and treated us as distrusted outsiders,” he said.
Citing US president Donald Trump’s best-seller “Art of the Dead”, Wong said PSB would do as Trump’s has done – fight back when perceived to be treated unfairly.
“In his best-selling book ‘Art of the Dead’, Donald Trump makes it very clear how he handles what he perceives to be unfair treatment.
“He said ‘when people treat me unfairly, my general attitude is to fight back very hard’. Indeed, PSB will do likewise, we will fight back very hard, we will not want to be the appendages to any party.
“I would like to appeal to all PSB leaders and members to remain calm. Our road ahead of us is very wide and our future is going to be very bright,” said Wong. — DayakDaily
