S’wak DAP chief slams proposal to localise state chapter

Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the party would continue to provide check and balance in Sarawak.

PETALING JAYA: Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen has slammed Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) senior vice-president Wong Soon Koh for suggesting that the state chapter should transform itself into a “wholly local-based opposition”.

“To Soon Koh, it may be all right to do party-switching or jumping. That is his prerogative,” he said in a statement, adding that it was “preposterous” to suggest that the Sarawak DAP should separate itself from its parent body.

Chong’s response comes after Wong’s statement on Monday calling on the former to decide if the state DAP should be a wholly local-based opposition party.

Wong had said if Chong chose this path, the state DAP would have to withdraw from its national body and all its elected representatives would have to relinquish their portfolios at the federal level.

In dismissing Wong’s justification that Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) was dissolved to ensure political stability at the federal level, Chong argued that this was a non-issue in Sarawak.

“The problem in Sarawak’s politics is not about stability, but a lack of proper check and balance and non-transparency in governance,” he said.

Sarawak DAP’s primary role was to hold the ruling government accountable and provide effective check and balance to ensure democratic principles were upheld, Chong added.

Chong also said the move to dissolve PSB and have its members join PDP was exacerbating Sarawak’s already “lopsided” democratic system.

“With the addition of the trio from PSB, Gabungan Parti Sarawak now has a 79 to 3 majority (in the state assembly),” he said, referring to Wong, Johnical Rayong Ngipa and Baru Bian.

Wong holds the Bawang Assan seat, whereas Rayong and Baru are the assemblymen for Engkilili and Ba’kelalan respectively.

PSB was officially dissolved on Saturday and its members accepted en bloc into PDP following the Registrar of Societies’ approval of the party’s dissolution on March 19.

Former president Wong was named as senior vice-president of PDP, with Rayong and Baru appointed as vice-presidents.

This came after PSB signed a memorandum of understanding last July to work with PDP, a component party of GPS.