With the state election less than two years from now, leaders of Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) are getting spooked by newly formed Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) and United People's Party’s (UPP) claim that they are already in 'BN through the BN-Plus formula'.

And their concern is made worse by the continued silence of the chief minister and chairperson of State Barisan Nasional Adenan Satem on the claims.

"We are not only worried over the continued silence of the chief minister over the claims, but such claims are also confusing our members and members of the public," said a SPDP leader who did not wish to be identified.

"The sooner he clarifies, the better it will be for everyone, especially in view of coming  state election which is less than two years from now," he said, adding that maintaining silence will project the impression t  that Adenan is supporting Teras and UPP.

"Is it not an indication of his support for Teras and UPP for the fact that he retains William Mawan (Teras President) as Social Development Minister and Wong Soon Koh (UPP President) as Local Government and community Development Minister in his cabinet?" he asked.

 

Criticising Teras and UPP leaders, he said: "How can they claim that they are members of BN, when their applications to join the BN family are yet to be discussed?

"Neither can they claim that they are in the BN-Plus government," he said, referring to Wong's statement.

In Sibu, Wong ( right ) told his UPP members that "there should be no more doubt about the new parties (Teras and UPP) over being a part of the BN family as the two parties have been well acknowledged as component parties in the BN-Plus formula.

How come BN leadership role then?

"No one should doubt our existence in BN. If we are not in the BN family, how can we be playing key leadership roles in the BN fold?

"I am a senior minister with several portfolios, Tiong Thai King is the chairman of the Sibu municipal council and Oliver Kuo is the deputy chairman of the Sibu municipal council.

"The fact that we are ministers in the BN government clearly shows that we are in the BN plus formula," Wong pointed out.

His' statement also drew a sharp rebuttal  from SUPP Youth chief Tan Kai who stressed that BN has four members in the state namely Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), SUPP and SPDP.

"Who and where is the fifth? Don't just shout you have entered the state BN. If you want you have to apply, and when you do, it must go through the consensus of the component parties," he said.

He questioned the truth of UPP leaders saying  that they are part of the BN Plus more than just  being BN friendly.

"Is this a lie or the truth?"

Tan reiterated SUPP's stand that it will not give any of the seats traditionally allocated to the party.

"Let me tell you. SUPP has resolved that we want all the 19 seats. We shall not want fewer," he  was quoted as saying in Sibu.

Wong's statement also surprised SPDP Secretary General Nelson Balang Rining who said that so far the BN has not met to discuss any application by Teras and UPP to join the BN coalition.

"If there is a BN meeting to discuss their applications, we will strongly oppose them from joining the coalition, not even as BN-plus.

"You know, these people are trying to please their supporters and they want also to get more people to join their parties and that is the reason why they are saying that they are already in BN as BN-plus," he said.

"Both Teras and UPP leaders are not telling the real truth to the people," Balang said.

The question being asked by SPDP and SUPP leaders is: why the chief minister has been silent over Teras' and UPP's claims?

The answer could probably that the chief minister is thinking of an early election to solve the problem.

"Perhaps the only way for Adenan to solve the problem is to call for an early election and allow a free fight in the disputed seats," said a political scientist, pointing out that there has been  precedence in the past.

"For BN, it is a win-win situation; because any side wins it will also be BN's victory. But the only danger is that in the urban constituencies, any split in BN votes would give advantage to the opposition," said the political scientist.

But the longer the problems remain unresolved, the weaker will be the state BN, he added.