Several key Sarawak PKR men resign

While they gave no reasons for their resignations, the talk is that they are in the midst of forming a new party.

KUCHING: Several PKR leaders, including three chairmen of party divisions, announced their resignations from the party.

No reasons were given for their sudden resignations, but it is speculated that they are involved in the formation of a new party.

The leader of the group Jimmy Donald, the Sri Aman PKR division chairman, said that others who resigned included Serian division chief Jonas Anak Reong, Kapit division head Munan Laja, senior leader of Serian division Matthew American and Dr John Brian Anthony, the PKR defeated candidate for Meluan in the last state polls in April.

“Our resignations are supported by many committee members and ordinary members of the respective divisions,” said Donald, who was also a former vice-chairman of Sarawak PKR.

“We want to relax first and you wait and see what our next move is,” he told reporters. He however dismissed talk that they were involved in the formation of a new party.

Brian was not present at the press conference held by the others but Donald said that the former had informed him of the resignation.

Speculation is rife that the group is linked to the formation of a new party. The Registrar of Societies has received a number of applications from Sarawak to register new parties.

According to sources, the independent state assemblyman for Pelagus George Lagong is said to be the pro-tem president of the proposed party. Lagong is a BN-friendly independent.

Apart from Brian, those resigning with Donald were associated with Sng Chee Hua and his son Larry Sng in the formation of Parti Rakyat Sarawak in 2004. Two years later they were the same people sacked from the party when they tried to overthrow James Masing as PRS president.

Some of them like Sng and his son Larry remained partyless, but others including Donald, Munan, and Matthew joined PKR.

Although Donald denied about forming a new party, a PKR leader said that their resignations appear to show that they are regrouping, and the possibility of them forming a new party is really there.

To remain PKR-friendly

There are also rumours that they are joining Sarawak National Party. Even though Donald denied it, he however admitted that they did receive some feelers for them to join the party.

“As I have said we want to wait and see. Definitely we do not want to join any of the BN component parties,” he said, but added that they just want to pause and think of how best they can serve Sarawak and its peoples.

“And we have nothing negative to say about PKR. We wish PKR all the best and will help PKR wherever and whenever needed.

“We still support the vision and mission of PKR and its leaders and followers,” said Donald.

Meanwhile, Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian said that the party has so far received two resignation letters – from Donald and Munan.

“We respect their decisions to resign from the party, and we wish them the best of luck in their new undertakings,” he said.

His colleague, See Chee How, vice-chairman of Sarawak PKR, echoed similar sentiments, adding that they could not stop anyone who wished to resign from the party.

“Their resignations will not affect our preparations for the coming parliamentary election,” he added.