Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi
KUCHING: State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi has suggested holding a meeting comprising all state BN component party leaders to look into the best way to address the issue of nine partyless elected representatives.
Dr Rundi, who is also PBB secretary-general, said the meeting was necessary because they would be facing the 14th General Election which would be called in about two years’ time.
“The concept of power-sharing is always there. The respect among all BN components is also always there. It is therefore good for us to sit down to see the best way forward for BN.
“There is no point for you to talk to the press and I also talk to the press. There will be no end to it. The press would probably be fed up with us. Now, it is time for us to focus on serving the people,” he told reporters when met at the State Legislative Assembly media room yesterday.
Dr Rundi was asked to comment on a statement by SPDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing that the state BN must keep to its power-sharing spirit to avoid becoming a time bomb that could explode any time.
“When we talk about power-sharing, we are talking about honouring the promise that each BN component party must have certain number of seats, otherwise the concept of power-sharing will become a ‘time bomb’ and the coalition will die a natural death,” Tiong had said.
Dr Rundi said he understood that parties like SPDP and SUPP were in a limbo over their former members for a long time and the saga had dragged on until now.
“I remember that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem advised them that they should resolve this within the party. It is an internal issue that they should resolve by themselves. They have been given enough time.
“But now, we also appreciate the freedom of association so we have advised all the nine to seriously look back and go back to their own original parties. But if they refuse to go back, what can we do?
“We cannot allow them to be partyless. Having said that, I’m not saying that we are trying to entice them to go to PBB. They can go to any other component parties except DAP and PKR.”
The nine partyless elected representatives are Tan Sri William Mawan (Pakan), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau), Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Mambong), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Dr Johnical Rayong (Engkilili), Dato Gerawat Gala (Mulu), Miro Simuh (Serembu) and John Ilus (Bukit Semuja).
Mawan, Rosey and Paulus were formerly from Teras, Dr Jerip, Ranum and Rayong were formerly from UPP while Gerawat, Miro and John were formerly from PBB. All nine including Gerawat, Miru and John contested as direct BN candidates in the last state election and won.
Dr Rundi stressed that PBB would have no qualms if SPDP and SUPP were to take their former members back but the party
could not do anything if they refused to rejoin their respective parties.
“I must reiterate here that we in PBB have completed our job in doing well in the election. Now our job is to focus on how best we can serve the people and we hope that other parties will do similar thing.”
He said the spirit of working together among state BN component parties that resulted in the state BN winning 72 out of 82 seats was self-explanatory and therefore, there was no point for the other parties to look at PBB differently and ‘trying to poke each other’.
“Look at it in a positive manner so that we will be able to go forward.”
Meanwhile, SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said the state BN must ensure that the power-sharing concept, practice of consensus in decision-making and the established fundamental principles of mutual respect, understanding, cooperation and support would be adhered to and further enhanced to strengthen the four component parties in the state BN as they would be facing a very challenging forthcoming 14th General Election.
On Dr Rundi’s statement that PBB would have no qualms if SUPP were to take their former members back, Dr Sim said: “SUPP’s door is always open but I have said many times before that it is not a merger.
“If it is a merger, it will be a new entity and you have to apply to enter BN. We welcome any members and even some of the direct BN elected representatives, we will welcome them.
“Even if Teras members want to join us, we are more than happy. A political party is opened to everybody, not just selectively and exclusively inviting people.”