THERE is trouble brewing in Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), as Julau incumbent Larry Sng staked his claim to the party presidency, saying he has “never resigned” from his position, or relinquished his party membership.

Larry, in a Facebook post, said only he has the powers to sign the endorsement letters for the party’s candidates in the general election.

“I will be contesting on a PBM ticket. As president of the party, I have never resigned from my position nor relinquished my party membership.”

He also said that as the party “has its roots from Sabah and Sarawak, it is important that our voices and representation (are) not ignored or marginalised”.

Prior to the name change to Parti Bangsa Malaysia, it was known as the Sarawak Workers’ Party (SWP), formed in 2012 by sacked members of Parti Rakyat Sarawak.

Sng’s father Sng Chee Hua, also a politician, had taken over the Sabah People’s Front and rebranded it into the new SWP.

Larry contested the 2013 general election as the SWP candidate in the Lubok Antu parliamentary seat. He lost.

Larry, in his post, further said that as for the status of PBM’s other candidates in the coming polls, “it is a matter which I will announce in the coming days”.

“All previous announcements made by party leaders are just mere speculations. The official announcement will be made by myself and only I will sign the watikah for PBM in GE15,” he said.

On October 8, PBM secretary-general Nor Hiizwan Ahmad said in a statement that the party’s supreme council had confirmed that Ampang incumbent Zuraida Kamaruddin had replaced Sng as the president.

Nor Hiizwan added the motion to appoint Zuraida as the president was unanimously accepted.

Larry had disputed that appointment.

In his usual announcement via his Facebook, he said the transition of power to Zuraida “should follow proper procedure”.

The first sign of trouble came when Zuraida, on a working visit to Kuching as the plantation industries and commodities minister, told journalists that PBM will not be contesting in Sarawak.

She however, avoided answering when asked if that meant that Larry would not be defending his Julau seat.

Larry immediately took to his Facebook to counter Zuraida, saying he will contest the Dayak-majority rural seat. – October 26, 2022.