Its chairman Chong Chieng Jen said everything could be sorted out among DAP, Amanah and PKR to pave way for the formation of Pakatan Harapan Sarawak as long as PAS was out of the picture.
Even though he welcomed PKR Sarawak chairman Baru Bian’s positive comments about working together in Pakatan Harapan Sarawak, Chong opined that state PKR did not have a say over its stand, and would be influenced by the position of its national leaders.
“What we do not want is DAP/Amanah coalition and PKR/PAS coalition. We have a clear rejection of PAS in the formation of the new coalition. Anything else we can discuss, but this is the main principle and PAS has no place especially in Sarawak and should be rejected outright,” he told a press conference yesterday.
Chong, also Bandar Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, however, feared that two coalitions might take place given the national PKR leaders’ position.
“We should have an understanding that it should be DAP, PKR and Amanah in Pakatan Harapan, and no PAS. PAS is past already. We should start from Sarawak by making the point clear and send the message to the national leaders.
“We (at DAP) are strong and firm on that. So is Amanah. The only worrying concern is their PKR national leaders about PAS. They may form coalitions of PKR/PAS and DAP/Amanah. And that is not what we want.”
In Sarawak, Chong asserted that the DAP would play a role to “totally eliminate whatever possibility or intention of getting PAS into the new coalition.”
To a question, he said: “PKR’s structure is that they follow the national, that’s the worrying part. But that is their internal party structure which I would not comment.”
He stressed that DAP Sarawak “determines its destiny” given that it exercised autonomy, adding: “We decide our own destiny, so does Amanah.”
Asked whether PAS had ever made an impact in Sarawak, Chong said: “They came very close in Beting Maro.”
He added: “Whatever it is, I think their party struggle, ideals and policy are not suitable for Malaysia in general and especially for Sarawak.”
On Sunday, Baru was quoted as saying: “We are aware that PAS had been invited by the federal leaders to be part of Pakatan Harapan but they declined, and therefore at state level, I believe that PAS Sarawak would take the cue from their national leaders and decline to join Pakatan Harapan. This should be plain and obvious.”-Borneo Post
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