KUCHING: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) is amused by Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing’s vitriolic attack on the party.
Tiong had called PSB ‘hypocritical’ in its declaration of support for Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari after the party welcomed Sri Aman MP and former Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice-president Datuk Masir Kujat as a member on Thursday.
“PSB is amused that Tiong has launched a vitriolic attack on PSB in respect of the crossover of Datuk Masir. Tiong was strangely silent when three ADUNs (assemblypersons) Tan Sri William Mawan, Paulus Gumbang, and Rosey Yunus joined Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and took their seats with them; seats that were traditionally held by PDP,” PSB said in a statement issued by its secretariat yesterday.
“In the crossover by the three Aduns, PDP lost three seats to PBB. But Tiong did not challenge PBB then, nor did he call PBB hypocrites when his party PDP lost those seats to PBB. However, in recent times, Tiong has demanded that PBB return those three seats to PDP plus another two seats that were supposed to be allocated to PDP but were won by BN direct candidates, who then proceeded to join PBB.
“Therefore, Tiong’s alleged concern that, because of PSB, ‘there will be war among the Sarawak-based political parties leading to the disintegration of GPS’ is gravely misplaced. If anything, unity within GPS is more likely to be threatened by its own component parties fighting over seats.”
The statement said Tiong should also note PRS president Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing’s statement on the crossover.
Masing had been reported as saying the move was part of the pros and cons of democracy, where people are free to move in accordance with their whims and fancies.
Masing also said all political parties are subject to this freedom of movement.