MY VISION OF HOPE FOR A NEW SARAWAK
After the aftermath of the political intrigue in Kuala Lumpur last month, I am back at my legal practice, as well as being an independent MP and ADUN. I have yet to join a political party.
While keeping safe at home due to the enforcement of the MCO due to Covid19, I have some time to ponder upon my next political step……
…in line with the strong Sarawak local sentiment, I have examined all the locally based political parties operating in Sarawak, particularly those deemed to be in opposition to BN/GPS. I must say that the constitution of the Party Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) is quite attractive…..
The objectives of PSB resonate with my ideals and I believe, with the ideals of most Sarawakians. Most importantly, the party promotes multi-racialism and unity.
As to joining an existing political party or forming a new political party, I am looking at the stand similar to that of Party Warisan Sabah that captured the sentiment and the desire of Sabahans – a locally based party fighting for their state rights and becoming a crucial player not only in determining who sits in Putrajaya but in playing a pivotal role in balancing the political process towards a truly Malaysian Nation. But above all, it must be a party that shares, primarily, this “My Vision of Hope” for Sarawak.
16th April 2020
Baru Bian
Sarawak Report was accused of rumour-mongering last week when we reported that Baru Bian intends to join PSB, a wealthy party backed by Taib’s timber barons, who want to continue to ‘play a pivotal role’ in controlling Sarawak and indeed Malaysia.
Now, in this very wordy statement (dated for tomorrow but published on his behalf today) Baru has after several lengthy paragraphs of stating his principles acknowledged in his own words that he is indeed looking to join PSB.
He doesn’t quite explain why he thinks PKR/PH let him down, since his former party shares all the principles that he as a minister in a PH government was supposed to be putting into practice. Instead, he supported a rebellion that has brought down that government and brought to power a backdoor coalition of racist, intolerant and criminal politicians of the sort he and his former allies had sought to stand against.
Now he says he wants to stand against this backdoor government as well, but with new allies. Unfortunately, those new allies are historically wedded to the very same corrupt and intolerant forces he still claims to oppose and whom he has allowed back into power.
Sadly, this has been a story not of principles, but of selfish and short sighted in-fighting that led Sarawak PKR to support a rebellion that toppled a government dedicated to the very ideals Baru still claims to espouse. Those ideals had been far from wholly implemented – Baru must take his own share of responsibility as a former minister for that – but they have now been thrown out of the bus by the coup coalition he helped bring to power.
The best that can come of it all is that these quarrelling former allies remember what those principles they like to go on at such length about actually mean, and begin to show some humility and respect for the people they represent by getting back towards working together for the public good instead of cosying up to timber barons, who don’t share any of these principles at all.