KUCHING: The problem facing PBB on whether to accept the membership applications of nine BN elected representatives is a rerun of a 1987 episode, said PBB deputy president Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg yesterday.
“In 1987, people from the other group joined us. They were (the late) Datuk Joseph Balan Seling, (the late) Datuk Michael Ben and Datuk Gramong Juna.
“What we did was we asked them to go back to the grassroots to find out whether they want to join (PBB) or not. We gave them ample time to consider.
“That is the way we do it because PBB is not a party that wants to grab people. We already have 40 seats but then you must give them a choice also. If they want us, it is difficult for us to say no, but we will give them time to think over.”
Abang Johari was commenting on the applications of Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom (Pakan), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau), Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Mambong), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa (Engkilili), Dato Gerawat Gala (Mulu), Miro Simuh (Serembu) and John Ilus (Bukit Semuja) to join PBB.
Mawan, Rosey and Paulus were formerly from Parti Tenaga Rakayt Sarawak (Teras), Dr Jerip, Ranum and Rayong were formerly from United People’s Party (UPP), while Gerawat, Miro and Illus were formerly with PBB.
All nine of them contested in the May 7 state polls as direct BN candidates and won.
Abang Johari said PBB was not greedy as it upholds the principle of power sharing among BN component parties.
“We will leave the matter to the (PBB) supreme council that will meet on June 5. Let the Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem), who is also our president, decide after listening to the views of the supreme council members.”
He said in the spirit of BN, PBB would consult its coalition partners—PRS, SUPP and SPDP— before making a decision.
Asked to comment on a recent statement by UPP that Dr Jerip, Ranum and Rayong were still UPP members as their resignation letters were rejected by the party’s Central Committee, Abang Johari said, “If they have not quit, then they are still with UPP. That is their internal problem. We don’t want their problem to become our problem.”
Last Thursday, UPP secretary-general George Lo told a press conference that the UPP Central Committee met recently and unanimously decided to reject the resignation letters of all seven of its members who stood as BN candidates.
With the rejection, all seven members are now back as UPP members and their former positions in the party restored, including that of Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, who had been reinstated as party president.
To a question whether UPP members who stood as direct BN candidates had betrayed the directive given by Adenan, Abang Johari said based on what he knew, they had resigned, but now they rejoined the party.
“That is their personal problem. Let the chief minister decide. I’m sure he has the wisdom to do so. The chief minister knows, and he is an experienced person. He will be fair to be everybody. After all, they are all in the government. It is just a matter of the ‘house’ they represent.”
Before the state polls, Adenan said all those picked to contest as direct BN candidates must resign from their respective parties and winning direct BN candidates can join any BN component party or any party loyal to the coalition after the election.