SERIAN: Claims that there was a split in PBB Kedup were all nonsense and baseless, its chairman and Kedup assemblyman Frederick Bayoi Manggie said yesterday.
Disputing allegations that there was a split between the junior and senior members of PBB Kedup, Bayoi stressed that there was never such a thing.
“I wish to categorically deny that there is a split whatsoever in PBB Kedup. In fact, we are getting even stronger than ever. For example, when visiting the kampungs every weekend, we actually go as a group.
“Deputy chairman, vice chairman, Women and Youth section heads, including some of our councillors and other senior party members all come in the harmony and true spirit of brotherhood,” he said.
As such he regretted the comments made by certain people in the newspapers about the purported split in PBB Kedup.
He described it as the job of some irresponsible people who wanted to provoke the party members.
Bayoi said he also felt that it was not necessary for him to rebut the claims because the nomination of PBB candidates for the coming election is the prerogative of the chief minister who is also party president and state Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.
“I can proudly say that Kedup PBB is among the few constituencies that had been working very hard to prepare for the election,” he said.
Speaking to reporters during his visit to Tasik Danu yesterday to check on the situation following numerous reports of crocodile sightings in the lake, he said people making such claims were very irresponsible.
“I want to reiterate here that there has never been any such split among us. In fact, we are ready to face the state election no matter when it is going to be held.
“This is because although our activities are seldom highlighted in the media we are working even harder now than before and we always believe that silence is golden,” said Bayoi.
In the May 2006 state election, Bayoi retained his Kedup seat after defeating Prof Dr Razali Bolhi from Sarawak National Party with a majority of 1,981 votes.
He polled 5,635 votes while his opponent secured 3,654 in the Bidayuh majority constituency.
Bayoi, 67, and in his fifth term as the assemblyman, still wields a lot of power in Kedup although several young turks in the area are said to be anxiously but silently wishing that he calls it a day.
These potential candidates-in-waiting, who include the branch’s former information chief, lawyer Bernard Philip; Bayoi’s deputy Martin Ben, teacher Joseph Tiam and medical specialist Dr Eric Munjan, have yet to openly state their wish to succeed the incumbent, although their respective supporters are vocal about their preferred candidate for the coming state election.