Jugah confirms no longer with Bersatu, keeps mum about contesting in state polls

KUCHING (March 2): Former Lubok Antu MP Jugah Muyang confirmed he is no longer with Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), but stopped short of declaring whether he will contest in the coming state election amid mounting speculation.

Declining to elaborate further regarding his party status, he stressed his current focus remained on community work and supporting the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government.

“I am no longer with Bersatu. At present, my energy is fully channelled into my community work through Pelasar (Welfare Association for the Indigenous Communities of Engkilili, Lubok Antu and Skrang).

“Our initiatives cover the Lubok Antu, Engkilili and Skrang areas, allowing me to stay true to my lifelong passion of serving the people of this region,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Jugah added his work at the non-governmental organisation (NGO) level was based on cooperation with elected representatives.

“Our work at the NGO level is built on a foundation of cooperation. We work closely with the YBs at both the state legislative assembly and Parliamentary levels to ensure the community’s needs are met. It is important for the people to see that our leadership is active and united,” he said.

While declining to directly address rumours of a possible candidacy, Jugah openly expressed his support for the current state administration.

“I fully believe that the path forward for our development lies in staying the course with the GPS Government. As the main umbrella for Sarawak’s stability, GPS is represented here by its dedicated component parties, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).

“These are long-standing government parties in our locality with a proven track record, and they deserve the people’s full confidence and support,” he said.

He reiterated that his priority remained the welfare of residents in Lubok Antu, Engkilili and Skrang.

Jugah served as Lubok Antu MP from May 2018 to November 2022.

In the 14th General Election (GE14) in 2018, he pulled off a surprise victory as an Independent candidate, securing 5,834 votes with a 1,059-vote majority in a three-cornered contest.

He subsequently joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and was appointed as one of its national vice-presidents in March 2020.

In June 2020, he resigned from PKR and became a government-aligned independent, pledging support for the Perikatan Nasional and GPS administrations.

He later joined Bersatu in November 2022 to defend the seat in the 15th General Election (GE15) under the Perikatan Nasional banner but lost in a four-cornered fight to Roy Angau Gingkoi of GPS-PRS.

He also served as chairman of the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (2020–2021) and later as chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board from 2021 to 2023.