‘Green light’ for PSB-PDP merger not from GPS, says Abang Jo

 

Abang Johari Openg (third from right) said that if Parti Sarawak Bersatu and Progressive Democratic Party want to merge, one of the parties must be dissolved. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Gabungan Parti Sarawak chairman Abang Johari Openg said the “green light” for Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) to join Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) did not come from GPS.

The Sarawak premier said the matter was between PSB and PDP and did not involve GPS.

“This is between them, not with GPS. In fact, we (GPS) have not yet had any meeting, so this ‘green light’ did not come from GPS.

“This matter is between them, and they need to refer (this matter) to the registrar of societies first.

“If they want to merge, one of the parties must be dissolved. There’s no term for two parties being combined,” Utusan Borneo quoted him as saying.

Yesterday, PSB deputy president Johnical Rayong Ngipa said the party was expected to be dissolved before Chinese New Year, with its members joining PDP en bloc.

Rayong said he was informed by party president Wong Soon Koh that the party had received the green light to join PDP.

However, Rayong said PSB would first need to be dissolved before its 80,000 members across Sarawak could collectively join PDP.

PDP president Tiong King Sing later called on PDP members to prepare themselves for the influx of new members from PSB.

In August, Tiong said he expected a merger between PDP and PSB to be finalised in December.

The Bintulu MP said the two Sarawak parties were working on resolving several issues regarding the merger, which he said would enable both parties to serve the people of Sarawak better.

On July 13, PSB, which only managed to secure three seats in the Sarawak elections in 2021, announced its support for the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak premier Abang Johari.

The party also signed a memorandum of understanding with PDP, one of GPS’ component parties. - FMT