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Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg. – Photograph by Chimon Upon
KUCHING, September 9: Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg revealed today that he hoped for reconciliation between the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) for the good of the Chinese community, but the latter seems not to want to be part of that.
In reaction to PSB President Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh’s remarks against him yesterday, the Prime Minister claimed that his policy had always been one of reconciliation when SUPP’s internal leadership crisis broke out.
He said that when SUPP suffered the split after the 2011 state elections, the then leadership of Barisan Nasional (BN) had decided that their problems should be solved by the contending parties, as it was not the policy of the state coalition to interfere with the problems. internal members of its members. .
“Dato Sri Wong and his group were fired by SUPP, but he was retained in the government because the leadership wanted inclusion and unity among the Chinese and (for them) to participate in the government,” Abang Johari said in a statement.
However, he said the troubles at SUPP dragged on until the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem took over as prime minister in 2014.
Abang Johari added that the fact that Wong’s group was allowed to wear the BN symbol in the last general election spoke volumes about the leaders’ desire to unite the Chinese.
“SUPP was almost terminated when Dato Sri Wong, after being fired by SUPP, formed UPP and subsequently the government that was formed became known as BN-Plus in the hope that the two factions could work together for the good. from the Chinese community, ”Abang Johari said, referring to the PSB’s predecessor, the United People’s Party (UPP).
He said it was Adenan who ordered him to officiate at the launch of UPP in 2015 and again at the party’s renaming as PSB in 2017.
“When I took over as Chief Minister, I continued with this policy where Dato Sri Wong was retained as minister. All of this was meant to allow time for the two factions to reconcile.
“Unfortunately, intentionally or otherwise, the PSB leadership caught the members of the GPS component parts knowing full well that this would jeopardize teamwork at GPS. GPS has a ‘touch one, touch all’ policy and PSB’s action is against our effort to unite the people of Sarawak, ”he said.
Abang Johari said that based on the latest activities of PSB, it is evident that the party was no longer interested in cooperation and was going against the GPS with more inclusion of disgruntled members of other parties.
“I have asked community leaders, as well as corporate leaders, to assist in reconciliation, but to no avail, and the rest I would leave to the public,” he said.
The latest exchange of words between Abang Johari and Wong began after the prime minister lashed out at a party of disgruntled and troubled politicians by opening the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu convention in Miri on Saturday.
Although Abang Johari did not mention PSB in his speech, it was obvious to Wong that he was referring to his party.
In response to the prime minister yesterday, Wong said that despite his criticism, Abang Johari had played an important role in the formation of the UPP and PSB.
He also noted that he was forced to resign from the state cabinet after SUPP leaders pushed for a shakeup to get rid of the PSB leaders.
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