KUCHING: Does it make sense when someone pledges loyalty to a leader but on the other hand works to weaken the foundation of that leader’s party or coalition?
This is exactly the message that Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) is driving home when it took to task Parti Sarawak Bersatu’s (PSB) ongoing drive to recruit members from Parti Gabungan Sarawak (GPS) coalition partners.
Accusing PSB of being hypocritical for its supposed loyalty to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg while “stirring up trouble” in the ruling state coalition, PDP chief Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said PSB, which claimed to be GPS-friendly, should help to consolidate the coalition and not undermine it.
“If PSB is sincere in its pledge of loyalty, it should be helping the chief minister to consolidate unity in GPS instead of sowing disunity by accepting former GPS component party members within its ranks, knowing full well these people will be going against GPS component parties in elections.
“They (leaders) are saying one thing and doing another thing,” he said in a statement today.
He appealed to PSB to work sincerely with the ruling coalition to bring progress to Sarawak and protect the rights of its people.
“PSB should seek a way to find a common ground to work with GPS in protecting the rights of Sarawak instead of challenging the authority of the chief minister by undermining the stability of the coalition he is leading,” Tiong said.
He said the people could see through PSB’s ploy.
“PSB must stop taking the people of Sarawak for a ride and stop pretending they wanted to work with the chief minister,” he added.
On the possibility of his party leaders switching parties, Tiong said PSB would not succeed in wooing PDP leaders.
“They are not interested in joining a party outside GPS. As for former leaders or members it is up to them because nobody can stop them from joining whatever party they want to as it is their democratic right.”
