Masing’s ‘advisor’ quits BN

A former PRS pioneering member opined that the party is 'limited' in its effectiveness out of 'fear' of Taib Mahmud.

KUCHING:  Parti Rakyat Sarawak’s supreme council member Patrick Sibat Sujang has resigned from the party which he helped form, citing the inability of the party to fight for the interests of the Dayak community especially on the issue of native customary right (NCR) land.

“I have faxed my resignation letter to the secretary-general, and my resignation takes effect immediately,” Sujang said when met at his office.

Sujang said that PRS was ‘limited’ in its effectiveness as their leaders were ‘scared’ of Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

“PRS cannot fight for our right anymore as its leaders are scared of the big towkay (Taib).

“It (PRS) has its limited effectiveness  and to me there is this spirit of fear to speak for the Dayak community,” he said.

He said it was this ‘fear’ of Taib that had resulted in PRS president James Masing’s now infamous “jangan lawan towkay” (don’t fight the boss) advise to voters.

Sujang pointed out that in the last five years, he has seen rise in abuse of power especially over the NCR land matters.

“In the last five years (since) I was with PRS, I see there is a lot of mismanagement in the state, especially in handling the issue of NCR land.

“In fact the problem is getting from bad to worse,” he added.

Pioneer committee

Shifting his allegiance to Pakatan Rakyat, Sujang said that he now “believed in the struggle and the wisdom” of the opposition coalition in fighting for the right of every community.

“I believe that PR leaders such as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim can handle the job of administration the country much better,” he added.

Sujang’s history with PRS dates back to when Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) was dissolved in  2004.

Sujang was one of the five persons who initiated a move to form PRS. The others were Henry Upang Luhat, Sidi Munan, Davina Entili and Josephine Mawat.

Munan was brought in to make the number as five, which was the minimum needed to register a party.

After it was registered, PRS was then handed over to James Masing who became its first president with Sng Chee Hua as his deputy, and Sidi Munan as secretary general.

A Master’s degree holder in Agriculture Engineering from Silsoe College, England, Sujang is a member of PRS’ NCR land committee.

The committee was set up to look into ways and means to develop NCR land in order to benefit the landowners.

He is the owner of PSS Resources, a consultant company dealing with EIA reports.

More may resign
Sujang was known to be very vocal during meetings of PRS supreme council and in the process he made a number of enemies among party members who preferred to play safe in order to get ‘goodies’ from the CM.

Of late he has openly censored the party leadership over the ‘jangan lawan towkay’ issue and the withdrawal of subsidies and welfare aid for a handicapped person just because he supported an opposition party.

Many of those who shared Sujang’s views may also resign from the party.

Meanwhile, PRS secretary general Wilfred Nissom said that he had not received any resignation letter from Sujang.

“I have not seen the letter, so I cannot make any comment. (But) I heard he wanted to send his resignation letter through an email.

“There is nothing in the constitution about sending resignation letter through email. May be our PRS is not sophisticated yet,” he said.