Willie advises three other Bersatu members to state withdrawal from S'wak polls

SERIAN: Puncak Borneo Member of Parliament Datuk Willie Mongin has advised three other Bersatu members to emulate Datuk Ali Biju's move and state their withdrawal from the 12th Sarawak State Election.

The Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities instead urged the Belaga, Bawang Assan and Muara Tuang independents to throw their support behind their respective GPS candidates.

Willie, from Bersatu, said party members should abide by the pact between Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

The understanding between Muhyiddin and Abang Johari, who is also the Chief Minister of Sarawak, is that Bersatu will not contest in the Sarawak polls.

"We, at the party level, have listened to the instructions of the party president that all members should help and support the GPS candidates," he said after officiating the #KeluargaMalaysia Agricomoditi Tour programme in Kampung Pichin, today.

Willie said this when asked to comment on the Sarawak Bersatu's vice-chairman's decision to withdraw from contesting the Krian seat as an independent candidate. Ali also pledged his full support for GPS candidate, Friday Belik.

He added that Bersatu members should work together so that there is continuity that will lead to political stability not only at the state level but also at the federal level.

"In terms of democracy, their right to contest cannot be denied because they can resign and run as Independent candidates... that's their right... but we need to look at it in terms of a bigger picture of the political scenario in the future," he stressed.

It is understood that the other three Bersatu members who are contesting as Independent candidates in the Sarawak polls on Dec 18 are Siki Balarik for the Belaga seat, Ricky Enteri (Bawang Assan) and Ismawi Muhammad (Muara Tuang).

-- BERNAMA