TUKAR

KUCHING: Julau’s Sarawak Workers’ Party (SWP) candidate Wong Judat’s run-up to the general election was given a blow when 356 SWP members resigned from the party.

Tonny Muari, a former SWP Youth chief and vice-president, who quit the party recently, said members left the party because they no longer believed in the party’s core struggle.

He said they have stated their intention to leave the party at Rh Phillip Belawan, Ng Sengaih, Entabai, Julau recently.

Tonny added that among those leaving SWP included tuai rumah Phillip himself and several other tuai rumah from nearby longhouses.

On a related issue, Tonny said Wong Judat’s recent statement that he has the support of some 9,000 registered SWP members in Julau was just a claim on paper as there was no solid proof of such massive support for the maverick Meluan assemblyman’s claim.

“Maybe he is counting on the electoral rolls of Julau. So we do not know. But on paper, he (Wong Judat) could claim any numbers he wished he has had,” added Tonny.

Wong Judat’s main contention to fight it out in Julau was against its current MP Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, whom he alleged to be an outsider.

To make his point clear, he even quit Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), a component of the state BN, of which he was its former vice-president.

Meanwhile, SWP leadership had made their intention clear that their main existence was to take over Party Rakyat Sarawak’s (PRS) six seats as they claimed it was a BN friendly party.

Its top leadership was even confident that it could capture at least three of these seats.

Its president Larry Sng was reported to have said that the party could win in Selangau, Lubok Antu and Julau as it had received very high memberships and it had also received encouraging response from Sri Aman, Kanowit and Hulu Rajang.

PRS will retain all its incumbents except for Hulu Rajang where its current MP Datuk Billy Abit Joo will be replaced by new face Wilson Ugak Kumbong.

PRS incumbent MPs are Masir Kujat (Sri Aman), William Nyallau Badak (Lubok Antu), Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang (Kanowit), Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun (Selangau) and Salang.