KUCHING: The role that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg played in the formation of United People’s Party (UPP) or Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) was done in good faith, opines Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Women chief Datuk Seri Doris Brodie.
“I am certain that as a leader of the ruling government in Sarawak, his ultimate aim has always been to get all parties, especially Sarawak-based parties, to work together to consolidate support for the ruling government in Sarawak,” she said on Tuesday (Sept 8).
She was commenting on PSB president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh’s recent statement in which he hit back at the Chief Minister over his remark that the party was composed of disgruntled politicians. Wong in his statement, said that despite Abang Johari’s criticism for PSB, he had played an important role in the party’s formation.
Doris recalled that prior to the 14th General Election, Abang Johari in all goodwill, had witnessed and endorsed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Sarawak United People’s Party and UPP with high hopes that both parties subscribed and embraced the inclusive spirit of Barisan Nasional for unity then, and especially so to better the unity among the Chinese community in the Sarawak.
“However, as it seems to be now, UPP (now PSB) has derailed from its original track. It has become very uncooperative and opposition-minded.
“PSB even went on luring and roping members of our Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component parties, including disgruntled politicians from various parties. This does not fare well with GPS’ inclusiveness agenda.”
Therefore, she opined that it was certainly not wrong for the Chief Minister to remark that PSB was made up of disgruntled politicians, as that was what the party seemed to be now.
“Hence, for the PSB president to lambast the Chief Minister in that manner obviously reflects that PSB and their leaders had misconstrued our Chief Minister’s noble gesture then as a nod to PSB’s hidden agenda — and when our Chief Minister remains steadfast to focus on unity amongst Sarawakians and would not dwell on parties who are otherwise, it is most unfortunate for PSB.”
Abang Johari at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu northern region mini convention in Miri last Saturday had described PSB as a party for the ‘problem’ bunch, mentioning a number of disputes between PSB members and GPS component party presidents before the former defected to PSB.
