KUCHING: Sarawak Parti Keadilan Sarawak (PKR) vice-chairman Japar Suyut will replace former Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian as Ba’kelalan PKR chief.
New Sarawak PKR chief Larry Sng confirmed the Lawas deputy branch chief will be taking over.
He was commenting on the decision of 2,000 Ba’kelalan PKR members quitting the party yesterday.
Ba’kelalan PKR secretary James Tai was quoted as saying the members, including those from the women and youth wings, had lost confidence in the party’s top leadership and the party’s new state leadership.
“We hereby pledge our full support, loyalty and trust to Baru Bian and his team and wait for our next political move and direction. With this, Ba’Kelalan PKR has ceased to exist,” he was quoted by local daily The Borneo Post.
Sng described the decision as “expected”, adding that “people come and go”.
“Good thing is that there is more room for new members to assume leadership role,” he told New Sarawak Tribune when contacted yesterday.
Japar is a three-time PKR candidate for the state constituency of Lawas and Bukit Sari from 2001, 2006 and 2011, contesting against incumbent Bukit Sari assemblyman and Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
He was only appointed as Sarawak PKR vice-chairman recently following the departure of party leaders Baru, Ali Biju, Willie Mongin and See Chee How.
