KUCHING: Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) is trying to regroup its members after the last state election.
Teras deputy secretary-general Banyi Beriak said members from the 27 Teras divisions will be converging at Rejang Restaurant in Sibu on the night of Aug 27.
“The objective of this dinner themed ‘Solidarity Night’ is to reunite our members. Among the agenda is to call upon former party president Tan Sri William Mawan to come back to lead the party.”
The dinner is also to mark the third anniversary of the party.
Banyi stressed that it is not true that Teras had dissolved as its members are still intact and the executive committee members are active.
He pointed out that for the party to be dissolved it needed to call for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) or Triennial delegates conference and three-fifth of the total members must agree to it (dissolution).
“So far, only one EXCO meeting was held after the May 7 state election. It did not warrant for the dissolution of the party. And moreover there was no indication that the party is calling for an EGM,” he said.
Banyi added that Teras members are also calling on eight other pro-BN partyless elected representatives to join their party.
“As our party is still very much functioning, we want to strengthen it by inviting all partyless elected representatives to join us.
Teras has never left Barisan Nasional (BN). Teras is BN before and after the May 7 election. Most members are still BN loyalists,” he said.
Besides Mawan, there are eight other partyless state assemblypersons comprising former Teras senior vice president Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and treasurer-general Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau); three former United People’s Party (UPP) leaders Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Mambong), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Dr Johnical Rayong (Engkilili) as well as three former Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) members Dato Gerawat Gala (Mulu), Miro Simuh (Serembu) and John Ilus (Bukit Semunja).
These elected representatives were asked to resign from their respective parties before the May 7 state election to enable them stand as BN direct candidates.
After the election all nine declared their intention to join Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
Their applications until now, however, still pending approval due to the strong objection from other BN component parties of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democrartic Party (SPDP).
An invitation has been issued by party headquarters to its central executive committee (CEC) members as well as divisional members to attend the reunion dinner.
Teras has around 26,000 registered members with membership cards from 27 divisions throughout Sarawak. Another 4,000 registered members are still waiting for their membership cards.