KUCHING, Sept 5: Chief Minister’s Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s recent statement that Umno is not welcome to Sarawak was consistent with the State’s leaders views since the 1980s under the then Chief Minister Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing in pointing this out said Umno was never welcomed to Sarawak as the party and its leaders do not understand the political reality in the state.
“Sarawak has disallowed Umno making any inroad into Sarawak since Tun Taib was chief minister in the 80s. The reasons for Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Jo stopping Umno from coming to Sarawak, are as valid as they were in the 80s.
“Those reasons are still valid now. Abang Jo did the right thing in stopping Umno from coming to Sarawak,” Masing said in a statement here today.
He was commenting Abang Johari’s speech during a Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) function on Thursday that Sarawak does not welcome Umno.
On the other hand, Masing reiterated that Umno leaders understand the resistance from Sarawakians and thus reassured that the party will not spread its wings here.
“Umno doesn’t really understand Sarawak, and some leaders in Umno are aware of their shortcomings on Sarawak, and therefore, didn’t force their way in. I’m confidence that Umno under its current president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi will keep their distance from Sarawak,” he stressed.
Yesterday, Zahid has given the assurance that the Malay-based party will not come to Sarawak and would leave the administration to GPS.
On a related issue, Masing said it was not right to judge Umno based on a few of its tainted and corrupt leaders.
“Please note that one or two bad apples in the barrel doesn’t mean that the whole apples in the barrel are rotten. I suggest that we stop generalising on an organisation based on one bad happening or utterance. If we do, we can never go forward in administrating this country,” added Masing.—DayakDaily
