Sarawak PH regrets 3 PKR MPs quit party

(From left) Selangau MP Baru Bian, Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin and Saratok MP Ali Biju are among nine PKR leaders who quit the party.

KUCHING: Sarawak PH chairman Chong Chieng Jen has expressed regret over the resignation of several state PKR leaders with the intention of forming a new government with Umno and PAS.

It was reported that Selangau MP Baru Bian, Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin and Saratok MP Ali Biju were among nine PKR leaders who have quit the party. Two others, Azmin Ali and Zuraida Kamaruddin were sacked by PKR for their role in the current crisis facing the nation.

Chong described the act as “a betrayal of PKR and the voters’ trust”.

“Their alignment with former PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali’s faction to topple the democratically elected PH government has brought chaos to the country and paralysed the whole government.

“With the exit of the trio from PKR Sarawak, we expect a re-alignment of the Sarawak PKR leadership.

“Given the recent political development, the change of Sarawak PKR’s state leadership and exit of PPBM from Pakatan Harapan, Sarawak PH will meet in the near future to decide on the next course of action,” he said.

Chong, who is also Sarawak DAP chairman, said he believed Sarawak PH would remain more united in facing the coming state elections after the political turmoil.

“I assure the people of Sarawak, come what may, the Sarawak PH will always stay true to its original political struggle to bring reforms for the betterment of Sarawak and Malaysia,” he said.

As for Sarawak DAP, he said its leaders were steadfast with the party through thick and thin.

“The members of Sarawak DAP, Amanah and those remaining in PKR have shown great strength and undivided support for the leadership in this difficult and uncertain time,” he said.

Shocking developments since Sunday led to the collapse of Pakatan Harapan, the four-member coalition led by Dr Mahathir Mohamad which came to power in May 2018.

Mahathir’s resignation yesterday came after a day of political manoeuvres among MPs from PPBM, Umno, PAS and others intent on forming a new coalition to take power.

Mahathir also resigned as the chairman of PPBM, which has since announced it is no longer part of PH.

Meanwhile, PKR’s parliamentary strength also took a blow after its deputy president Azmin and vice-president Zuraida were sacked.

This was followed by nine of its MPs quitting the party and forming an independent bloc. - FMT