KUCHING: The Gabungan Party Sarawak (GPS) must remain firm and never accept any political frogs into its fold to avoid precedent.
Universiti Malaya’s Associate Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said though some assemblymen who left the coalition before – had also applied to re-join or return to GPS, it should not happen again.
He said Mambong assemblyman Datuk Dr Jerip Susil and Pakan assemblyman Tan Sri William Mawan were among those who had quit from their parties to join Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras), yet they managed to return and be accepted into GPS.
“But, the GPS component parties’ leaders must be bold and reject any political frogs this time around, especially after the coalition’s landslide victory in the 12th Sarawak state election in December last year,” he told New Sarawak Tribune.
Furthermore, Premier of Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had made a clear statement that GPS decisive victory in the state polls was a sign that the people want political stability. He also assured that GPS won’t accept any ‘frogs’.
Awang Azman was commenting on Lubok Antu Member of Parliament Jugah Muyang’s application to Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), the party he had joined before contesting as an Independent candidate in the 14th General Election (GE14).
On May 12, 2018, Jugah announced his intention to join PKR, but on 5 June 2020, he quit the party because he was disappointed with the internal problems that plagued Pakatan Harapan (PH).
“In this case, Jugah is considered as a ‘political frog’; hence, it was no surprise that the MP was making efforts to return to the party before the Anti-Party Hopping Bill to be tabled and pass in Dewan Rakyat,” Awang Azman said.
“Even if PRS agrees to accept Jugah’s application, it (such application) needs to be supported by all the GPS component parties as well. Otherwise, Jugah will not be accepted or allowed to return to PRS or GPS.”
Awang Azman said Jugah left PRS due to internal issues but the party seems to stabilise now and GPS has won big in the state election. So, he wants to come back and contest in the GE15 under the GPS logo.
“He is aware that it is not going to be easy to retain his seat as an independent as they have failed to maintain and unlikely to have the momentum like what happened during the GE14 in 2018,” he added.
It was reported that PRS secretarty-general Dato Janang Bungsu confirmed that the party had received Jugah’s application to join the party last month.
However, he said, Jugah has to re-submit his application through the divisional level before the party decides in their next Supreme Council Meeting.
