The “support” offered to PH by the illegitimate government of the State of Sarawak stinks to high heaven. It is the action of thieves trying to avert the fall of the hand of the law on their shoulders.

It may be that the PH administration wish to have the additional votes in the Assembly that they may need to amend the Constitution but they should be looking to the outcome of election petitions for that, not to a discredited gang of crooks who have bled their State dry for personal gain.

Unfortunately some time must pass before an election to the State Assembly has to be held. However that presents an opportunity to PH in Sarawak to organise properly and prepare to win the next State election. This has not been done effectively in the past but it must be undertaken now.

Meanwhile PKR has the option of pressing the authorities, especially the MACC, to investigate abuse by Gagasan (exBN) in a number of areas, notably the rape of the tropical forests. The record is there and even a cursory examination of the facts will produce all the evidence needed to put Taib and his associates where they belong; in jail.

Furthermore, a cleansed Election Commission must review the mini constitutencies approved by its predecessor to bolster the BN majority in the State Assembly. That was a blatant breach of the Constitution and should be punished appropriately both in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching.

There is much to be done before the next State election and now is the time to get organised and down to it. The basic need, now that PKR’s Baru Ban is tied to his Ministry, is to identify a leader both generally accepted by Sarawakians and capable of pulling the party together and winning the State election. That is the first and most urgent thing on the agenda.