Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh responding to reporters at an event. – File pix
KUCHING (Sept 7): Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has fired back at Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg over his recent remark that the party was made up of disgruntled politicians.
While Abang Johari did not refer to PSB when he made the remark at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) convention in Miri on Saturday, Wong said the chief minister was clearly referring to his party.
The Bawang Assan assemblyman said in spite of his criticism, Abang Johari, who is Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman, had played an important part in the formation of PSB.
“It seems that Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari has forgotten the history of PSB, of which he is so much a part. He in fact played an important role in the formation of UPP (United People’s Party, which PSB is formerly known as),” Wong said in a statement today.
He said UPP was founded by leaders who were sacked from Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) and these leaders were definitely not “disgruntled leaders who left SUPP”, adding that the chief minister was keenly aware of this.
“In fact, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari (as the deputy chief minister at that time) led a delegation of sacked leaders from SUPP to meet the then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to propose the formation of UPP.
“At the meeting, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari gave Datuk Seri Najib a very negative description of SUPP as a justification for the formation of UPP in the presence of 36 delegates at the meeting, including (Minister of Transport) Datuk Lee Kim Shin and (Assistant Minister of Transport) Datuk Dr Jerip Susil,” he recalled.
He said Abang Johari was also the guest of honour to declare open UPP’s inaugural delegates conference on Jan 11, 2015.
“In his address, he said he felt happy that UPP was formed and also said many words of encouragement. At that time, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari was deputy chief minister and deputy president of PBB.
“When UPP was rebranded to become PSB on Dec 8, 2017, Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari again attended as guest of honour to launch the rebranding ceremony,” Wong said.
He said the chief minister was fully aware that PSB was forced out of government by some component parties within GPS who were upset that former chief minister, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem, had allowed UPP leaders to contest as direct Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates in the 2016 state election and had later given his blessing for the elected representatives to rejoin UPP.
He added that Adenan had also given UPP grassroots leaders positions of council chairman, councilors and community leaders.
“Tok Nan also allowed PSB YBs (elected representatives) to have the privilege of using MRP (Minor Rural Project) and RTP (Rural Transformation Project) and Housing Repair Fund to help their people in their constituencies,” he said, using Adenan’s popular nickname.
Wong said Adenan had wanted inclusivity because he believed in the strength that could come from unity and in addition, he was able to control the other component parties within the then Barisan Nasional Sarawak.
“Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari knows fully that I was forced to resign as a minister from the state cabinet.
“SUPP leaders had also urged for the reshuffling of the state cabinet to get rid of PSB leaders,” he said.
As such, Wong said for the chief minister to call PSB leaders as “disgruntled leaders who left other parties” was wrong and misleading.
He stressed that they were all “sacked leaders” from the previous parties.
“It is perhaps not difficult to understand the attack mounted on PSB by GPS leaders because of the increasing wave of support for PSB that is sweeping across the length and breadth of Sarawak, not only in Dayak areas but also in Malay/Melanau and Chinese areas,” Wong said.
According to him, everywhere PSB went, people were enthusiastic for change after nearly 60 years of rule by the same parties, especially after GPS decided “to get in bed with Umno and PAS”.
Wong said he believed that the people of Sarawak were now awakening and they welcome a truly Sarawak-based independent multi-racial party which strives for justice, equality and progress for all Sarawakians, regardless of race or religion.
“PSB is a party of the people, a party by the people and a party for the people. In other words, PSB will always put the common people first.
“To PSB, the voters will always be the boss. Unlike a GPS leader who arrogantly told the people ‘Jangan lawan towkay’,” he added.
At the PBB convention in Miri, Abang Johari had said some members of a new party were former members of GPS who left because they were not given the chance to serve as top community leaders like Temenggong and Pemanca.
“They joined the party and those accepted into the party are problematic, the party is of the same colour as my chair (red chair). Some had problems with James (Masing), and walked out. Our party, there were two or three who resigned. So that party is a problematic party. But we in PBB, our struggle is sincere,” he said, without naming the party.
In this respect, he said the state too would face a lot of problems if the party were allowed to govern.