PRS to field new faces in GE14 - Masing

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), a Barisan Nasional (BN) component party in Sarawak will field new faces in the 14th General Election (GE14), said its president Tan Sri Dr James Masing Jemut.

The Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister, however, did not want to disclose how many new faces would be fielded by the party.

"There will be changes but how many (new faces) I am still analysing," he said reporters after the "Ngiling Tikai" or closing of Gawai celebration at his house here today, which was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Asked if he had discussed and handed over the party's list of candidates to Zahid during their meeting in a room at his house today, Masing he would make it known when the time was appropriate.

PRS has a total of six parliamentary seats, which Masing said he had promised to the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) that he would give all back to BN in the GE14.

"Even if we decided to field some new faces I am still confident that we can give back all (win all) the six seats to BN in the coming general election," he added.

To another issue on his recent statement that made headlines in the local press - "No Dam No Road" - Masing denied that he ever made such statement.

Masing, who is also Sarawak Minister for Infrastructure Development and Transportation, said what he actually said was if the Baleh Dam is built it would expedite the process of building the road to Baleh which would cost RM17 billion.

"Eventually the whole of Sarawak will be constructed with road whether the area is with dam or without dam but if the area is with dam, the dam itself would eventually pay for the cost of constructing the road," he said, citing the Bakun Dam as a good example.

On a separate matter, Masing said the state government would rebuild the 15-door Kenyah longhouse at Uma Badeng, Sungai Asap in Belaga that was razed to the ground by fire recently .

--BERNAMA