MIRI – The sudden resignation of Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How from Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), where he was a key member, has prompted suspicions that something serious and untoward is happening in the opposition outfit.
Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, vice-president of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu and a minister in the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government, said See’s move to become an independent indicates serious problems besieging his party.
Describing See as a principled activist even before joining politics, Karim said the decision to quit could have been prompted by something serious in PSB that made him leave.
Karim said he heard that See will be calling a press conference tomorrow.
“He is the best person to tell us why he left PSB so we wait for his press conference,” Karim said to reporters today.
See had won the seat under PSB’s ticket during the Sarawak state election in December last year.
See is a third-term assemblyman who first won the seat while he was in PKR. Two years ago, he quit PKR and joined PSB.
Sarawak Speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar announced See’s departure from PSB yesterday.
Meanwhile, Sarawak PKR opined that a by-election for the Batu Lintang state seat in southern Sarawak is the only “morally right” course of action.
“Legally speaking, there is no need for YB See to vacate his state assemblyman post,” said state PKR information chief Abun Sui.
“He can continue to be an assemblyman on an independent platform. He will perhaps be enticed to jump to another party since the anti-party hopping law is still not gazetted yet.
“However, if YB See is a truly sincere politician who will do the morally right thing, then he should resign as state assemblyman for Batu Lintang.
“That will trigger a by-election in Batu Lintang and See can then contest again, but as an Independent or on whatever party platform that wants him.”
He said Asfia, as the speaker, should advise See to vacate the Batu Lintang seat.
Abun added that See should test his popularity again by allowing the electorate in Batu Lintang to decide if they still want him as an elected representative after this latest political drama.
“Sarawak PKR will surely contest in the by-election if it was held,” he said.
Opposition party PSB has demanded that the Batu Lintang seat be vacated following See's abrupt resignation.
PSB president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh yesterday said See had signed an agreement with the party that if he quit after contesting under its symbol, he would resign as the state rep.
In December’s polls, See won a five-cornered fight, defeating candidates from GPS, PKR, Parti Bumi Kenyalang and Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak by a slim 93-vote majority. – The Vibes, August 15, 2022
