Masing (fourth right) receives the petition from Eli, as (from first right) Mong, Nissom, Snowdan and others look on.
SERIAN: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) has received a petition containing signatures from 1,000 signatories from Bukit Semuja who wanted their partyless assemblyman John Ilus to join the party.
The petition was handed over to PRS president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing at a dinner organised by the party’s Balai Ringin division on Friday.
It was learnt the petition move was led by Serian Iban Remun Association (SIRA) after it was agreed upon at a meeting of 60 grassroots members of PRS and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) held a week earlier.
SIRA president Eli Luntai presented the petition to Masing in the presence of PRS secretary general Datuk Wilfred Rata Nissom, vice president Datuk Mong Dagang, women chief Datuk Seri Doris Sophia Brodie and supreme council member Snowdan Lawan.
They were in Balai Ringin for the Balai Ringin-level ‘Ngiling Tikai’ (closing of Gawai celebrations) and thanksgiving dinner to commemorate Snowdan winning the seat for the third consecutive term in the state election held last month. Balai Ringin constituency is ‘next door neighbour’ to Bukit Semuja.
On June 12, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) made public their invitation to John to join the party which is now the second biggest component in State BN if his application to join PBB is not accepted.
However, John was recently quoted in thesundaypost as saying he was still keen to join PBB despite being courted by other Barisan Nasional components. This followed a strong show of support by PBB members in Bukit Semuja who came with banners expressing their support for John to join PBB at John’s thanksgiving dinner on June 18.
John, one of the 13 BN direct candidates fielded in the just concluded state election, won by a majority of 3,144 votes in a five-cornered fight for Bukit Semuja. He garnered 5,451 votes against his closest challenger Edward Luak of DAP who polled 2,307 votes.
Based on previous news reports, the BN direct candidates were told they were free to choose any BN component to join after winning their seats.
John and eight other partyless BN elected representatives Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom (Pakan), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau), Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Mambong), Ranum Mina (Opar) Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa (Engkilili), Dato Gerawat Gala (Mulu) and Miro Simuh (Serembu), were reported to have applied to join PBB not long after the election but they were told to return to the constituents for a decision.
Chief Minister and PBB president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem was quoted in a June 6 news report as saying that these nine elected representatives had been given until the end of June (this month) to consult their constituents and report back to PBB.
Leaders of other component parties have voiced their concerns that PBB, which already controls 40 out of the 82 state seats, would become dominant if it takes in more assemblypersons which would not be healthy for state’s politics.