KUCHING: A political analyst believes that several factors could have prompted Sri Aman MP Datuk Masir Kujat to quit Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).
Dr Lee Kuok Tiung said internal party strife could be one of them. “I believe he joined PSB with high hopes, but the recent 12th Sarawak Election results were clearly not in PSB’s favour.”
“Possibly this factor prompted him to reconsider his position,” he told New Sarawak Tribune when contacted on Wednesday (March 30).
He was prompted for comments after Masir announced that he had quit PSB with immediate effect on Wednesday.
Lee said it was not easy to move as an opposition party. “It’s not easy to run a party. Requires huge expenses.”
“As a government assemblyman (on the other hand), there is a large allocation to help the rakyat.
“Opposition MPs who signed the memorandum of understanding (with the government) also received an annual allocation from the federal government.”
When asked which party Masir could possibly join next, Lee, a senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah, said Masir was not young anymore and it was difficult for an MP or assemblyman to win the hearts of the people, especially in the context of Sarawak politics, where political frogs were heavily frowned upon.
“Any party that considers taking in a ‘frog’ should think about the consequences.”
Lee added that Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) might not accept Masir, especially when GPS had prepared and groomed its own new leaders.
“GPS will not want to find trouble simply to accommodate someone who jumped from one party to another…better focus on what is already in the party now.”
