KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) said today it will oppose Parti Sarawak Bersatu’s (PSB) entry into the ruling state coalition, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), after it accepted former PRS vice-president Datuk Masir Kujat as a member.
PRS secretary-general Datuk Janang Bungsu, in an interview with Dayak Daily, also demanded that PSB’s leaders be stripped of state posts and funding.
“GPS must act fast. Action must be taken against PSB’s bosses. Cut off their funding, ministerial positions, pol secs (political secretaries to the chief minister) and councillors,” he told the Sarawak-based news portal.
“We have been very accommodating to them. With this latest move by PSB, there is no way we will support its entry into GPS.”
PSB was formerly the United People’s Party (UPP), which was formed in 2014 after a bitter leadership tussle in the Sarawak United People’s Party splinter-party.
The party was a Barisan Nasional (BN) friendly party and its candidates had even contested on the coalition’s ticket in the general election last year.
Following BN’s fall in the polls, PSB shifted its support to Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg and now harbours hopes of joining GPS.
The party was renamed PSB earlier this year.
PSB president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, who is Bawang Assan assemblyman, is the second state finance minister and minister for international trade and e-commerce, while deputy president Datuk Dr Jerip Susil is the assistant transportation minister and Mambong assemblyman.
Earlier today, Masir, who is Sri Aman MP and a former federal deputy minister, announced that he had resigned from PRS yesterday and joined PSB.
PSB also admitted former Selangau MP Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun and former Lubok Antu MP Datuk William Nyalau Badak, who were both sacked from PRS before the general election last year, and several former PRS grassroots leaders.
