No issues facing Sarawak election despite loss of James Masing - PBB veep

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) will not face any major problems in the upcoming Sarawak state election although they lost their president James Jemut Masing, who died last Sunday.

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said today that PRS had become a strong and well-managed party under Masing’s leadership.

PRS and PBB are parties in the Gabungan Parti Sarawak ruling coalition.

"The late deputy chief minister (Masing) successfully brought up many good leaders in PRS and with his passing, there will be a new president (capable of replacing him),” Karim said.

He was speaking to reporters after presenting incentives to national Paralympic athletes Bonnie Bunyau Gustin and Jong Yee Khie at a ceremony in Kuching, Sarawak today.

Karim said Masing was a firm and focused leader, who always spoke out to defend Sarawak and its people’s rights and welfare, including on the Native Customary Rights issue.

"I have never heard him raise his voice, but he was firm in getting his opinions across about any issue. He was a true son of Sarawak who was very committed to the state and he always championed Sarawak’s rights,” he said.

Meanwhile, Karim said the GPS convention, scheduled for Nov 7 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), has been cancelled on the advice of the Health Ministry over Covid-19 concerns.

He said GPS would comply with the ministry’s instructions and it showed that the coalition prioritised the welfare and safety of Sarawakians.

GPS, founded in 2018, is a coalition of four local Sarawak parties, PBB, PRS, Sarawak United Peoples' Party (SUPP), and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) that established the state government since the last state election in 2016.

- Bernama

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