KUCHING: Sarawak has rejected Umno for decades in the past, thus, it was impossible for them to gain any support even if the party sets base in the state.
State Pakatan Harapan Chairman Chong Chieng Jen said although the previous federal government was led by Umno, Sarawak had never given them the opportunity to set foot in the state.
“What more to say that the party has now become an opposition party. It’s uncertain whether they can even survive in the Peninsula,” he said.
“It’s ignorant to think that Sarawakians will throw their support behind Umno,” said the Stampin Member of Parliament.
The state government, he said, should go all out to prevent any Umno leaders from entering Sarawak.
“If they (state government) can stop the Pakatan Harapan leaders from the Peninsular to come in, they should able to prevent Umno leaders too,” said Chong.
Meanwhile, Bandar Kuching MP Dr. Kelvin Yii said technically, any political parties can set up branches in Sarawak as Malaysia is a democratic country.
“But, be prepared, you (Umno) will strongly rejected by the people here,” he said.
Sarawak, was the only state which sees the non presence of Umno, due to mutual understanding among the BN leaders in Sarawak and Umno leaders for the state to be led by local parties.
However, the four local parties in the state had quit Barisan Nasional and formed a new coaltion – Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), recently.
Therefore, Umno Veterans Club secretary-general Datuk Mustapha Yaakub had suggested that the time was ripe for Umno to set foot in the state.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said it was up to Mustapha if the party wanted to open its branches in Sarawak.
PBB, he said, has been the party that look into the interest of the Bumiputera community in the state as well as to fight the interests and the struggles of the Sarawakians.
It is also the largest party and the backbone of the Sarawak based parties.
“So, I doubt if they can gain any support from our people,” he said.
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