Abang Jo calls PSB 'vengeful', but Wong wants to remedy mistakes

 

SARAWAK POLLS | Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leader Abang Johari Openg has described Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) as being "vengeful".

Speaking at Gedong yesterday, Abang Johari (above), without naming anyone, said one party was publishing its manifesto regularly in local newspapers of late.

"Every day. They say 'we commit' or 'we defend' this and that. Dendam namanya manifesto (it is a manifesto of revenge)," said he said.

Abang Johari's statement was an obvious reference to PSB because the party has indeed been advertising its manifesto in newspapers regularly and that many of its candidates and leaders are formerly members of GPS component parties.

In response to this, PSB president Wong Soon Koh conceded that he was once part of the Sarawak BN cabinet alongside Abang Johari but wanted to right past wrongs.

PSB president Wong Soon Koh

"Abang Johari is right that he and I should be blaming ourselves to be part of a government that failed the people and broken promises for so many years.

"The difference between him and I now, is that Abang Johari is not admitting the past government failures but instead making more promises and lavish projects spending hard-earned state reserve.

"He is now pursuing policies which will lead further to the social divide and increasing the gap between the rich and the poor, which leads to its own negative consequences.

"Simply put, Abang Johari is in denial," said Wong, who held cabinet positions in Sarawak between 2004 and 2019.

PSB was once known as the United Peoples' Party (UPP), a splinter group from GPS component party Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP).

However, since becoming PSB, the party has recruited former and current lawmakers from GPS component parties and PKR.

Some analysts believe that PSB is likely the most popular among the opposition parties in this election.  - Mkini