PARTI Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Wong Soon Koh should just resign from the state cabinet if he is serious, instead of saying that he wants to meet the chief minister for advice, said James Masing.

The Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president said this in an open rebuke against his state cabinet colleague.

“It’s ridiculous for him to ask the chief minister to decide if he should resign,” Masing told reporters at PRS’ Gawai open house and ceremonies, marking the end of the Dayak harvest festival, or ngiling bidai, in Kuching today.

“He’s old enough to decide for himself. He’s not a 6-year-old kid,” Masing said.

He was responding to Wong’s remarks to party members at their annual delegates’ conference in Sibu yesterday, in which he said he would seek advice from Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg on his intention to resign from the cabinet.

Wong, who is state international trade and e-commerce minister and second finance minister, reportedly said he no longer had moral locus standi to represent the party in the state cabinet as “all my legs and arms have been chopped off”.

Without elaborating, Masing said the matter was related to the removal of minor rural project (MRP) and minor rural transformation project (MRTP) funding.

PSB is not a component of the four-party ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), but its pro-state Barisan Nasional and pro-GPS stand has seen it being accommodated as a “plus” partner in the coalition.

One full ministerial and one assistant minister positions were allocated to the party, and its elected MPs and assemblymen enjoy all the perks provided to GPS lawmakers.

However, PSB’s overt campaign to pinch GPS lawmakers and members from PRS, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) to increase its ranks since last year’s general election have angered the three parties.

However, PSB has not dared to touch the coalition’s lynchpin, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).

Masing said Wong should have resigned “a long time ago”.

“The writing was already on the wall.

“He should have read it but he’s too dumb to read it,” Masing said, referring to the cutting off of the MRP and MRTP funds to elected PSB representatives in March.

Masing questioned why Wong was still hanging on to his post after the state government this week purged all PSB nominated councillors from the state’s 26 local councils.

Last night at the Rainforest World Music Festival in Santubong, Abang Johari refused to discuss Wong’s position.

He said he could not comment on the matter until he had met Wong.

“Wong must understand that no matter what he does, there will always be consequences,” Masing said, adding GPS would not be weaker without PSB in its corner.

“(PSB) has not been friendly to components parties of GPS, so it shouldn’t expect us to take things sitting down.

“There will be a response to it,” he said, adding this was not a case of GPS being unfriendly to PSB.

“We are defending ourselves from attacks by PSB.”

On whether he felt sorry for PBS after it’s ties with GPS were cut, he said: “I don’t have time to be sorry.”

“I don’t want to waste my time on it.” – July 14, 2019.