PSB holds delegate conference, Wong tight-lipped on party dissolution

 

Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) held an Extraordinary Delegates Conference (EDC) at a restaurant in Sungai Merah, Sibu today purportedly to table a resolution to dissolve the party.

The closed-door EDC was attended by party president Wong Soon Koh, his deputy Johnichal Rayong and secretary-general Baru Bian, along with about 400 delegates.

A copy of the EDC notice dated Feb 1, sighted by Bernama, had been sent to the PSB advisers, branch chairpersons and delegates.

However, when approached by reporters after the two-hour-long meeting which started at 3pm, Wong declined to comment on whether the resolution to dissolve the party was tabled.

Before dispersing for dinner, all those who attended the meeting took a group photo and someone from the back chanted “Hidup PDP!” (Long live PDP!)

PDP forms

Reporters also managed to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a stack of forms with the Progressive Democratic Party’s (PDP) logo on them.

The EDC was believed to be part of the process for a merger between PDP and PSB following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between PDP president Tiong King Sing and Wong on July 13 last year.

Tiong, when met by the media during a Chinese New Year visit to Wong’s residence on Feb 12, had also declined to divulge further details of the said merger, saying the time was still not right to do so.

However, he said it is being carried out according to the provision of laws, adding that any form of merger will not trigger any by-election.

PDP president Tiong King Sing

The opposition-aligned PSB won four state seats during the 12th Sarawak state election in 2021, namely Bawang Assan (Wong), Engkilili (Rayong), Ba’kelalan (Baru) and Batu Lintang (See Chee How).

However, in August 2022, See left PSB to become an independent member of the Sarawak assembly.

PDP, a component party in the ruling coalition of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) has five state seats - Tasik Biru (Dato Henry Harry Jinep), Krian (Friday Belik), Meluan (Roland Duat), Dudong (Tiong) and Marudi (Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil).

The party has two seats at the parliamentary level including Bintulu, which is held by Tiong who is also Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister and Baram (Anyi Ngau).

- Bernama