‘Impending break-up proves PR marriage of convenience’

March 22, 2015

SIBU: The impending break-up of opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) in the state has proven that the union was indeed merely a “marriage of convenience”.

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the move vindicated Barisan Nasional’s (BN) stance on the issue.

“What BN has claimed since the Sibu by-election and in the last general election, that the three parties in the opposition Pakatan Rakyat are just in a ‘marriage of convenience’ has finally been proven true.

“Each party has its own ideals and ‘dreams’, which are totally incongruous,” he told thesundaypost.

He pointed out that the passing of the hudud bill in Kelantan led by Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) was a total betrayal of the opposition pact and the Federal Constitution, which left the Democratic Action Party (DAP) in a bind.

“I would advise DAP Sarawak and YB Chong (Chieng Jen) to change his party to a local outfit and do away with any relation with the national DAP as to all Sarawakians that Sarawak DAP is still a West Malaysian party and unable to make its own decisions except being dictated by KL,” said Abdul Karim.

State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom described the possibility of the state DAP leaving PR as a sign of how fragile the opposition coalition really is.

Dr Rundi also pointed out that PR did not have common policies as each coalition member strove towards its own ideologies and agendas.

Chong, who is state DAP chairman, had announced on Friday that in light of “back-stabbing” by PAS in the passing of the hudud bill, he saw no option but for the state DAP to leave PR.

He said a DAP state committee meeting would be held to decide on the matter. -TheBorneoPost