‘Even marriage takes time’, says Tiong of PSB-PDP matters

BAU (Dec 26): The decision to absorb Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) members into Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) would be finalised at a later time, said PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

“I just got back from China, and I would firstly need to understand this matter more deeply.

“Even marriage takes time – it cannot be done in one day.

“Let us assess the situation first, then we’ll inform you,” he said when met at the Deputy Minister of Transport Sarawak Datuk Henry Harry Jinep’s Christmas open house in Bung Konis near here today.

PSB deputy president Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa, when approached, had also declined to elaborate.

Previously Johnical, who is Engkilili assemblyman, said he was informed by PSB president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh that the greenlight for PSB to join PDP had been received ‘from the higher-ups’.

However, he did not disclose details about who gave the greenlight, or about the merger involving over 80,000 PSB members throughout Sarawak.

“We are aiming for this to happen as soon as possible – perhaps before the Chinese New Year (2024),” he was quoted as having said.

Chairman of state’s ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had said that the greenlight for PSB to join PDP did not come from the GPS, adding that the matter ‘was between both parties and did not involve GPS’.

“This is between them themselves, not from GPS, and we (GPS) haven’t held any meetings yet, so this greenlight is not from GPS.

“This matter is between them (PSB and PDP), and they need to refer to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) first. If they want to merge, one party needs to be dissolved; there’s no concept of two parties merging,” Abang Johari had stated.

Meanwhile, Henry said PSB members had the right to join any political party, so long as such move did not go against the anti-party hopping law.

He added that a special joint committee was established by both parties on the collaboration, adding that the committee was looking into ways to recruit the members en bloc.

“We have no problem for anyone to join the party, and yes we welcome them, we just need the supreme council to approve this. In PDP’s constitution, the provision provides power to the supreme council.

“As such, we don’t need to call for annual general meeting because the approval power is under the supreme council,” said Henry, also PDP deputy president, when met by reporters at his open house.