Dominique (second left) speaking at the conference. Seen from left are Cherishe, Joshua, Chow and Lim.
KUCHING (Jan 10): Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sarawak is now calling Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian and Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How ‘traitors’ for joining Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) last year.
Its Kuching branch chief Dominique Ng said both Baru and See had betrayed the party by leaving PKR early last year and the departure of Baru had contributed to the downfall of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) federal government at the time.
Speaking at a news conference at the PKR Kuching and Stampin Branch office at Jalan Sin Sin Park here today, Ng admitted the state PKR had been weakened following the departure of the duo.
“However, it only makes us more determined to come back especially in the seats that these people won under PKR. The party is weakened, no doubt, but we will rise again in debacle.
“They betrayed not only the party but contributed to the downfall of PH. We call them traitors. The party must learn from the setback,” said the former Padungan assemblyman who served from 2006 to 2011.
Baru and See contested and won in the 2016 state polls under the ticket of PKR, but they joined PSB late May last year, after being sacked by PKR following the collapse of the PH government. Baru, who is Selangau MP, is former Works Minister.
State PKR secretary Joshua Jabeng, who was also present, said the party noted that political analysts and even the media had dubbed PKR as “a gone case” given the departure of Baru and See.
“Political scientists and the media have been running us down. Some even said PKR expelled them. It is best for Baru to explain to the public whether he was expelled or he left the party.
“He should explain to the people, and not keeping quiet,” he said, with Ng adding: “Oh, he described himself as a ‘clever frog’.”
Joshua, who has been with PKR since 2009, said Baru was not thrown out by the party. He even recalled that he “stepped aside in Selangau” for Baru to stand.
“My heart is so big. He’d been the state chief. So I stepped aside in Selangau for him to stand.”
Earlier, Ng said he could not see how PSB could champion for native customary right (NCR) landowners, an effort which Baru and See had been engaging in.
He also wondered how Baru and See could justify themselves joining PSB given that “the big towkays are behind (PSB president Dato Sri) Wong Soon Koh”.
“I’m on the ground constantly. Their (PSB’s) flags and people are everywhere because money talks.
“They talk big that they want to replace GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) but I believe they are prepared to jump at the first opportunity,” he claimed.
Ng opined that some people remained cynical of where PSB was standing while he personally felt that “they are not genuine”.
He further alleged that those “big towkays” (big bosses) were the “bigger NCR land robbers” and as such, he casted doubt on Baru and See whether they would continue championing for the rights of NCR landowners.
He even added: “They are now part of the party that robs them (NCR landowners). They joined PSB because they had no other place to go.”
Also present were PKR Stampin chief David Chow, coordinator for central region Robert Lim and Women secretary Cherishe Ng.