Covenant of unity – United we stand…

suppadmin | June 21, 2014

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) President, Tan Sri James Masing Jimut’s who was celebrating the closing of Gawai at his residence invited guest included President of Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Tan Sri Peter Chin and President of Sarawak Democratic Progressive Party (SPDP) Dato’ Sri Tiong King Sing who joined force to have a common stand to send a signal to the media and the world that they will fight as one for the BN.

Masing said as he was the host he thus spoke on behalf of the two Presidents. He said this is the first time they have met since Teras announced their presence and this was the best time to show that they were together physically and mentally to defend BN. “We are not here to defend SUPP, SPDP or PRS but for the sake of BN which is under threats. We have no other agenda,’ he added.

He explained that he did not invite members of the PBB as the PPB’s seats were not “curi” (stolen) or affected yet.

Masing emphasised that the three of them are in full support of the Prime Minsiter’s leadership and that of Tan Sri Adenan Satem as the Chief Minister. “No one should ever doubt that. We are together for the defence of BN,” he said and that they will ensure that all 71 seats would be won under the BN against their real enemy, the Pakatan Rakyat and Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) should they, (Teras) stand in the next election.

Teras was announced on May 15 with former SUPP Sibu Chairman, Dato’ Sri Wong Soon Koh and state assemblymen, Ranum Mina, Datuk Dr. Jerip Susil and Dr. Jonicol Rayong. On the SPDP side, former President, Tan Sri William Mawan teamed up with Datuk Slyvester Entri, Datuk Peter Nansian, Paulus Palu Gumbang and Rosy Yunus (known as the G4). With them was a lone state assemblyman from Pelagus, George Lagong from Sarawak Workers’ Party (SWP). Pelagus was a seat under PRS.

Masing said he knows PBB is still with them as PBB is a party with experienced leaders who would not have any private agenda.

He urged those in Teras to have the moral courage or integrity to quit and resign from their posts to stand on their own to fight in the coming election. “You move house, so change your address. Do not use the old ones. You said you are strong. Don’t talk only, prove it. They also claimed to be friends of BN. The SWP have once said they were friendly to BN and in the last election, they fought against BN. With friends like this, who need enemies,” said Masing.

Chin, affirming his stand as any other leader, hoped to win back the SUPP 19 seats and added that together with the other component parties and the Chief Minister behind SUPP, he firmly believed that they will fare better this time.

He said since Teras was formed, he had called on those who quit to resign from their seats. At the end of the day, we still have to fall back to the voters. “Do you want Sarawak Politicians to be sincere and with integrity, or politicians who are willing to do anything for personal gain,” he asked.

Masing affirmed that even if there is to be a Peace party coming up, they too will treat it like Teras, not allowing them to join BN. He said although PRS was not that affected, he intended to say his piece of mind to help out SUPP and SPDP as they are part of the BN component parties. “They, Teras is trying to bite more than they can chew. They have no experience. Even before that the G5 used to come to my house at midnight, asking me to take them. I cannot as they stood on SPDP ticket before and I am a man who believes in principle,” he said.

Although the BN supreme council has yet to meet on the Teras issue, Masing said he believed that the BN leaders would be with them. Saying that the CM would have a responsibility to deal with the problem, he said they, the three component parties, would be with him to solve whatever problem that will arise.

Dato’ Sri Tiong King Sing, when asked to comment, asserted that his stand is the same as the other two Presidents.