PKR and DAP may have learnt their lesson from contesting against each other during the 2016 Sarawak election that led to electoral losses - but history may repeat itself.
PKR and Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) are seeing increasing friction ahead of the Sarawak polls, setting the stage for possible clashes between the two opposition parties.
PSB had in the last year absorbed a substantial part of PKR in Sarawak, including the latter's former state chief Baru Bian (above), who is the Selangau MP and Ba'kelalan assemblyperson.
Bandar Kuching PKR chief Dominique Ng, in a press conference last Saturday, branded PSB as a party of towkays who are against recognising native customary rights (NCR).
Ng said this was due to some of PSB's leaders having links to logging companies.
This had ruffled feathers with Baru, who is a staunch NCR champion and has fought in many legal cases for the native communities in Sarawak.
"It is just presumption and conjecture that since a party leader has connections with a logging company, PSB is, therefore, a party protecting timber towkays.
"Does Ng have proof that PSB is such a party? If so, I would like him to produce the evidence, otherwise, he is just clutching at straws.
"Further, my firm is still acting for NCR landowners and they are still engaging us to fight for them. That should speak volumes about my stand on NCR and the confidence of the people in us to act for them," Baru, who is a lawyer, said in a statement.
He also stressed that the issue of NCR will be part of PSB's manifesto in the next state election, which must be held by August.
The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly's term expires in June.
Baru and Ng have not been on good terms since their PKR days.
Ng quit PKR in 2011 after claiming the party was controlled by a "cartel of YBs".
He rejoined PKR in May last year when Baru and his allies left for PSB.
Baru, in his statement, also took aim at Sarawak PKR secretary Joshua Jabeng's claim that he had made way for Baru to contest in the Selangau parliamentary seat in the 2018 general election.
To the contrary, Baru claimed, Joshua had tried to push him (Baru) out in order to get a shot at contesting the seat.
"I would therefore ask that Joshua stops twisting facts to suit himself so that we do not have to engage in this distasteful exchange in the public domain.
"Playing the victim and sacrificial lamb is rather unbecoming of him. I do not normally respond to such personal issues in public, but as these individuals chose to touch on my integrity, I have to respond accordingly," Baru added. - Mkini
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