Masing speaking to reporters after the ‘Ngiling Tikai’ event organised by PRS today.
KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri James Jemut Masing thinks it is ‘ridiculous’ for Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh to seek advice from Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg regarding his ministerial posts in the Sarawak cabinet.
“It is ridiculous for him to ask the Chief Minister to decide, he is old enough to decide for himself,” said Masing who is Deputy Chief Minister when met after the Chief Minister officiated PRS’ ‘Ngiling Tikai’ event at DBNA Hall here, today.
Masing opined that the writing was already on the wall long time ago for PSB, but the party leaders never wanted to read it.
“Either they are illiterate in reading or not willing to listen, that’s only it. The first time was when they cut the PSB ADUNs’ (assemblymen) Minor Rural Project (MRP) (Fund) and Minor Rural Transformation Programme (MRTP), then the latest one is the councillors…He should realise it,” he said.
Masing added that another indication was when Abang Johari spoke about ‘termites’ in Marudi.
On Wong’s claim that GPS had suddenly turned hostile towards PSB, Masing said GPS was not hostile towards PSB but they were only defending themselves from PSB’s attack.
According to Masing, Wong must understand that whatever being said or done by the PSB, there would be a reaction to it.
“First of all, they (PSB) are not being friendly to some component parties within GPS. Of course, there will be a response to it. It’s not being unfriendly, we are just defending ourselves from attack by PSB.
“I don’t believe he understands what he has said actually, they are the ones that have been unfriendly towards us,” he said.
On another claim by Wong that the state leadership had cut off the ‘arms and legs’ of PSB, Masing said PSB was the one which had been trying to ‘cut the arms and legs’ of GPS members.
“First of all, by getting/stealing some of the boys, party members of PRS and GPS, that reaction would demand some kind of response from us, of course we will response.
“As I said, you do not expect us to sit down and accept the blow just like that,” he added.
Masing said if Wong was sincere in taking the members of GPS into PSB, he should have discussed about it in a friendly manner.
“But no, he (Wong) took courage and joy in taking them. I think it is not a friendly gesture,” he added.
When asked if GPS would be weakened if PSB is no longer friendly to the coalition, Masing replied: “As it stands now, PSB has not been friendly with us and it doesn’t make us weaker.
“If they leave us, we will fight them, it doesn’t make us weaker than we are now, no difference to us.
“It’s better to fight a known enemy than to fight somebody that you don’t know, that will be a problem,” he said.
Masing said he neither felt sorry for PSB nor had the time to be sorry for PSB.
“I don’t want to waste my time on it. You know what the Chief Minister said? If you touch one, you touch all. You disturb one of my boys, I go after you, that’s what it means, simple.
“You don’t have to be an Einstein to understand it, either they are illiterate in reading or not willing to listen, that’s only it,” he said.