ELECTION TALK: When Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dr James Masing told a newspaper on March 19 that PRS was fine with BN fielding direct candidates in the next state election to solve the impasse between rivals Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and United People’s Party (UPP), and Sarawak Democratic Progressive Party (SPDP) and Party Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) a cynical UPP president Wong Soon Koh said:
“That is what he (Masing) said. But I say the decision lies with the chief minister.”
What exactly did Masing say?
This is how The Borneo Post wrote it:
“He said PRS agreed with Adenan’s direct candidacy suggestion but asked that the state BN chief agree to their three conditions – firstly that these potential candidates must resign from their political parties; after winning seats, these candidates then should choose which BN component to join; and thirdly, the state BN chief must make sure that PBB maintain its stated desire to resist any temptation of having a simple majority government after the election.
“Citing an example, Masing said for Wong to have any hope of contesting any of the BN seats, he must first resign from UPP.”
The same report further said:
“When contacted, Teras grassroots leader Cr Pasang Ngelambai said PRS was entitled to its opinion on an exclusivity principle but he believed Adenan in the end would decide for the greater BN fold including BN Plus parties.”
But as it turned out, a March 25 Borneo Post report ran a story entitled ‘Direct BN candidates must be partyless, says Adenan’.
In that report, the paper said: “Members of parties which are not components of the State Barisan Nasional chosen to contest under the BN banner in the next election must resign from their party.
“This was confirmed by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem when asked if BN direct candidates would have to resign from their respective parties at a press conference after a close-door meeting with over 3,000 Bumiputera voters here yesterday.”
Therefore, it is not what Masing said but what state BN chairman and Chief Minister Adenan Satem now insists.
And how many times have we heard Wong saying he would leave it to the CM to decide?
Well, the CM has decided, and now is the time for Wong and his boys to show that they are capable of living up to their confidence in the CM’s decision for those picked as BN direct candidates to quit UPP.
By itself, BN is a registered organisation, and with its own rules and constitution.
It is not any loose coalition of parties like Pakatan Rakyat or Pakatan Amanah which can be formed and disbanded any time it suits the parties concerned.
One of the fundamental BN rules is this: No non-BN party can use the BN logo during elections.
It is because of this rule that Adenan said UPP and Teras candidates have to quit their respective parties in order to use the BN symbol.
But UPP and Teras objected! Wong and Pasang seem to think it’s just Masing’s opinion.
It is not Masing’s or anybody’s opinion; it is part of BN rules and its principle.
Now, if Adenan should wilt under the objection raised by UPP and Teras, and proceed to allow candidates from the two parties to use the ‘dacing’ without quitting their respective parties, it will be a breach of this fundamental BN principle.
Another rule of the BN, and which is open to Adenan to use, is if the UPP and Teras candidates win in the coming elections and they want to be a member of Adenan’s administration, they can only be accepted if they join any EXISTING BN party.
Now, if UPP and Teras still object, then Adenan must call their bluff.
Adenan must call their bluff now and let us see how many would-be UPP and Teras candidates will not agree to these two BN rules and dare declare they are ready to contest under their respective party symbols in the coming state election.
BN can’t allow the tail to wag the dog!
Adenan cannot afford to give in to the demands of UPP and Teras or BN will lose respect if its rules and principles are compromised by non-BN parties.-The Ant Daily
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