KUCHING, June 8 — The departure of lawmakers such as Selangau Member of Parliament Baru Bian and their supporters from Sarawak PKR was part and parcel of politics, deputy chairman Abang Zulkifli Abang Engkeh stressed today.
He said there was no need to argue over why they left or were sacked from the party.
“Even PBB (Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu), the backbone of the state government, was also facing similar experiences in the past,” he said, referring to the leadership crisis experienced by PBB from 1985-1987.
He said the other three component parties of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), such as Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), also faced internal problems in the past.
Abang Zulkifli was responding to PBB vice president Datuk Karim Rahman Hamzah’s comments that the state PKR would be wiped out in the coming state election due to the mass defections and sackings of party members.
Among those who either left or sacked were Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, Saratok MP and Krian assemblyman Ali Biju, Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin and Lubok Antu MP Jugah Muyang and over 20 out of 31 branch chairmen.
Abang Zulkillfi claimed that some of the members who left the party were just blindly following these lawmakers.
Meanwhile, former Baram MP Harrison Ngau Laing has been appointed as head coordinator of the state PKR election secretariat in preparation for the coming state election.
The state PKR leadership council, at its meeting yesterday, also appointed Batang Sadong branch chief Piee Ling as organising secretary, state PKR vice-chairman Japar Suyut as welfare bureau head and another state PKR vice-chairman Roland Engan as head of institutional and governance reform.
Abang Zulkifli said the state leadership council has a submit a name to party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the post of a vice president for Sarawak and Sabah following Jugah’s resignation from the party.
