Sng denies any role in formation of new party

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KUCHING: Datuk Sng Chee Hua’s camp yesterday denied any involvement with the formation of a new party.

“My boss has nothing to do with any new political party. He is busy with his little business and is not as rich as (certain politicians) to manage and head a political party. Of course, he still likes to talk politics over a bowl of laksa,” said Sng’s special aide who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Having said that, the special aide pointed out that the ‘political war’ between Sng and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Masing was far from over.

He said the ‘war’ between the two heavyweights had been going on since June 2007 following the sacking of Sng’s son Larry from PRS which was acerbated by the latest accusation that Sng used money to buy votes in Pelagus during the April state election.

Despite all these, the special aide reiterated that Sng had always been loyal to Barisan Nasional (BN) and its top leadership.

“The fact is that Sng’s family has been truly friendly to BN as a whole and loyal to Chief Minister Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak,” he said.

There were speculations that Sng – a former parliamentarian and former assemblyman – was involved with the new party due to his past experience with now-defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

It was reported in The Borneo Post on Wednesday that rumours from the grapevines indicated that the new party would be formed before the coming parliamentary election.

Quoting a local political pundit, the report said the new party would be state Bnfriendly and eyeing at least 10 parliamentary seats which were said to be currently held by PRS and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

A source was also quoted as saying that the party would have 33 supreme council members made up of 24 Dayaks and nine Chinese.

The same source also said the party, which is yet to be registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS), was mooted to accommodate partyless politicians such as former assistant minister Larry Sng, who is Sng’s son.

Some PRS and SPDP leaders were said to be among those involved.

Meanwhile, state BN secretary general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi said the new party would not be accepted into the Barisan fold if it were to take on seats already allocated to state BN components.

He also stressed that state BN always had always been practising consultation and consensus with regards to seat allocation among its members.

To a question, he reiterated that talks of a ‘new, BNfriendly’ party was nothing more than just rumours at this stage.