KUCHING: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) will not be satisfied remaining as an opposition party in Sarawak and wants to replace Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) as the state government in the upcoming 12th state election.
Its president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said under GPS, Sarawak had been unceremoniously downgraded from its rightful position and status as an 'equal founding partner' enshrined in Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) to just one of the states in Malaysia.
He said the state has been ruled by the same Sarawak BN government which started with the 'equal founding partners' of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) for decades.
"But, the growing dominance of PBB over the years had reduced its other coalition partners of SUPP, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) to 'unequal partners' and mere 'minority shareholders' – which do not have much say as it is open knowledge that PBB calls the shots," he said in a statement yesterday.
Wong, who was the former state second finance minister and former SUPP leader said it goes without saying that PBB itself can even form the Sarawak government with a simple majority as it currently holds 47 seats in the 82-seat assembly. In short, the other 'founding and existing' partners of SUPP, PRS and PDP are merely there to make up the numbers.
The Bawang Assan assemblyman said that was one of the reasons his party – PSB, which used to be GPS-friendly had decided to unshackle itself from GPS and embark on bringing together like-minded 'Anak Sarawak', under a common umbrella of change for a new and better Sarawak.
Wong said he appreciated DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen's gesture to leave the door open for negotiations and arrangement with PSB on the seats to avoid a multi-cornered fight with GPS despite his earlier statements that it is quite impossible to work together.
"However, we are amused by Chong's remark, saying that "Sarawak needs a strong opposition in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) so GPS will not have access to a blank cheque." Why is Chong still talking about wanting to be a strong opposition?"
"PSB is more interested in becoming a strong government as we cannot continue to witness nor tolerate the wrongdoings and broken promises of GPS, allowing the erosion of Sarawak's rights."
He said although both PSB and DAP disagreed with GPS' way of governing Sarawak, DAP believes in being a strong opposition party while PSB believes in replacing GPS as the government.
"We call on all like-minded patriotic Sarawakians not to be distracted by Chong's self-proclaimed statement in the media and wish to reassure our supporters that PSB does not seek to remain an opposition party nor join GPS but instead to replace it altogether."
"It is time to change and we call on all Sarawakians to come together and join us on this sacred mission of bringing the much-needed change to our beloved fairland Sarawak by supporting PSB in forming the new state government," he added.
