ASSISTANT Minister in the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Office Abdullah Saidol has dismissed rumours that Sarawak Barisan Nasional intends to cross over and join Pakatan Harapan as an absurd notion and “hogwash”.

Abdullah was also scathing in his attack on Sarawak PH chairman Chong Chieng Jen over his comments yesterday opposing the reported intent to join.

Chong said PH “cannot and will not accept Sarawak Barisan Nasional, especially PBB, into the fold of Sarawak Pakatan Harapan” and that accepting the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the lead party in the Sarawak BN coalition, into Pakatan was akin to “Umno joining Pakatan”.

“PBB will maintain its political integrity and will not act like (a) frog,” Abdullah, who is often seen as the state government’s spokesman, said.

“We are not desperate because we know where our political strength lies.

“We Sarawakians are always proud of ourselves and will stay united in diversity.

“We appreciate the democratic principle of mutually agreeing to disagree.”

Abdullah also said Sarawak BN respected the people’s verdict with an open heart and pledged to work harder in the interest of all Sarawakians.

Yesterday, Chong also said it would be absurd to allow Sarawak BN parties to join PH as it would be tantamount to “whitewashing all the corruption they committed”.

Abdullah, in asking Chong why he was so jumpy over “ill-founded rumours”, said if the Sarawak PH chief’s wish is “to unilaterally catch thieves and corrupt politicians, perhaps Chong should also investigate leaders in its own den, too”.

“Referring to (the) corruption and misdeeds as mentioned by Chong, maybe he was talking about their own new prime minister, who DAP and PKR had fought and demonised vigorously during the previous tenure of that leader as prime minister for 22 years.

“Don’t be (a) hypocrite and (have) double standards.

“DAP and PKR are the one whitewashing corrupt leaders by collaborating with them in PH.” – May 12, 2018.