KUCHING: The decision of former United People’s Party (UPP) leaders Opar assemblyman Ranum Mina and Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnical Rayong to rejoin the party should not be questioned by anyone outside the party.
UPP secretary-general George Lo made this statement yesterday in response to Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing’s statement that the decision of Ranum and Rayong to rejoin the party was unwise.
In voicing his stand against Ranum and Rayong rejoining UPP, Masing said the move was against the understanding and condition set for them to stand as direct Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in the last election.
Lo stressed that the two assemblymen had the right to decide on their own political future and nobody could interfere in their decision.
“With all due respect to Tan Sri (Datuk Amar) James Masing, the decision of YB Ranum Mina and YB Dr Johnical Rayong to rejoin UPP is none of his business,” said in a statement yesterday.
Lo said all UPP members had to resign to stand as direct BN candidates in the recent state election due to a technical requirement of the BN constitution.
“This was clearly explained to us by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem the day before he announced the BN direct candidates from UPP,” he added.
“On April 13, 2016, during the press conference when the chief minister announced the names of five BN direct candidates from UPP, he also stated unequivocally that the successful BN direct candidates can join any component party or any party that is
loyal to BN after the election. (See April 14, 2016 issue of The Borneo Post).
“I was present at that press conference and Masing was not. So I guess he won’t know the terms set out by the chief minister just like I do not know what purported ‘understandings’ Masing is referring to.
“However, I do know that we were not party to any such ‘understandings’ nor are we aware of the terms of this so-called ‘understandings’,” Lo explained.
Lo pointed out the principle that the chief minister stressed on April 13 for BN direct candidates was that they must be loyal to BN.
“That principle has never been compromised.
“UPP has always been loyal to BN and to the leadership of the chief minister. Masing’s allegation that the assemblymen had compromised their principle is therefore wholly baseless,” he said.