CCJ: We didn't receive Pas invitation to attend PR meeting

KUCHING, Nov 8, 2014: Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen has denied that the party had received an invitation to attend a  State Pakatan Rakyat (PR) committee meeting chaired by Sarawak Pas last Thursday.

"We were in the dark of the meeting," he said when asked why the party was absent from the meeting.

Picture: Chong Chieng Jen (2nd right) says that his party did not receive an invitation to attend a PK committee meeting chaired by Sarawak Pas.

"Why called the meeting when they (Pas) knew that I was busy attending Parliamentary meeting?" he asked.

"Even if we have received the invitation, we would not turn up," he added.

Chong, who is also State Assemblyman for Kota Sentosa and Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament, said as long as Pas continued with its Hudud law agenda, Sarawak DAP would continue to dissociate itself with the Islamic party.

He added:"Pas has also continue to go against PR agenda which all members of PR have agreed in the past."

Chong denied that Sarawak DAP is a tool of the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) to break up Sarawak PR as alleged by Pas information chief Andri Zulkarnaen yesterday.

"We are the nemesis of SUPP, not a tool as alleged," he said.

As it stands now, Sarawak DAP will continue to dissociate itself with PR activities unless there is a change in Pas "hidden" agenda.

In May this year, Sarawak DAP passed a resolution to cease all communications with PAS and PKR, but is remaining in the PR pact.

The party’s state committee decided to dissociate itself from activities with PAS and PKR until the two parties had clarified their stands.

 Sarawak DAP would leave PR if the PAS ulama group, which had been promoting the hudud law, assumed power in the party after the party elections in June next year.

“If the liberal progressive (faction) controls (the PAS central committee), there is no reason for us to go out,” Chong had said.

DAP representatives were absent in the third round of state Pakatan Rakyat’s seats negotiation meeting on Nov 6.

State PAS commissioner Adam Ahid when asked on the absence, said both PKR and PAS were not given any reason by DAP representatives.

Adam said based on his understanding, DAP had not boycotted the meeting because they were still involved in the previous discussions.

“You have to ask them (DAP) why they did not attend the meeting,” he had told reporters during a press conference.

Sarawak PKR chairman Baru Bian said his party and PAS were aware that DAP had stopped communicating with both parties over their stand on the hudud law.

“That is their (DAP) stand and as for the reason, as far as PKR is concerned, we have made our stand clear on hudud law in Sarawak at least in a few occasions.”

Baru said all the parties involved were still in the negotiating on the seat allocations and they were surprised that the internal discussion among them was disclosed to the paper.

“We have not concluded (with our negotiation) and we have not come to a point of no negotiation. It is just an ongoing process so we were quite shocked that they made such a stand," he said.