An amused PRS chief says PDP must justify its demands
KUCHING: Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) sure has a lot of answering to do regarding its so-called “eight traditional seats”.
Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing yesterday shot back with questions when asked to comment on a report of PDP wanting to contest in all its “eight traditional seats” and eyeing two more seats.
“Why are they eyeing two more seats? What are the reasons for them to eye two more seats? What are their reasons? Were the seats theirs before?” he shot back when asked for his comments on New Sarawak Tribune’s front page story yesterday.
“Why are they claiming? That you have got to find out.
“Why do they want to claim the seats? Now they have five seats. Were the seats theirs before? Does anybody want to take the seats from them? If somebody did steal the seats, who did?”
Asked to comment on United People’s Party (UPP) wanting to join Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Masing said: “The last time I read UPP had not applied. Why don’t we just wait until they apply, then we speak about it?
“What interests me is why does PDP want two more seats…stake claim on eight traditional seats? What are the reasons? They have to justify it (claim). Jangan you ambil orang punya barang (Don’t take things that belong to other people).
“Ask them (PDP) why they want to claim. Jangan you curi orang punya barang, and don’t make U-turn too often, ” said the Deputy Chief Minister.
“Ask them why they want to claim. That is very important. I don’t make any claims,” Masing said.
PDP, one of the four components of GPS, wants to regain two of its seats – Krian and Pakan – which it lost to the opposition in the 2016 polls.
Before the 2016 election, PDP had eight seats namely, Tasik Biru, Krian, Pakan, Meluan, Marudi, Bekenu, Batu Danau and Ba’ Kelalan.
In the 2016 election, Bekenu, Batu Danau and Ba’ Kelalan were given to Barisan Nasional (BN) direct candidates, who after their victory opted to join Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the state backbone party, leaving PDP with just Tasik Biru, Meluan and Marudi.
The issue of the eight seats was discussed at the party’s supreme council meeting chaired by its president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing last Sunday.
Tiong, however, declined to name the two new seats the party was eyeing, except to say a discussion on the matter would be further pursued at the party’s supreme council meeting after its TGA next year.
