The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) member said that he was aware that his decision to stand had led to friction between the party and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) that are allied on the federal level. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon
KUCHING, Dec 9 — Datuk Ali Biju announced today his decision to withdraw as an independent candidate for the Krian state seat in the 12th Sarawak state election.
The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) member said that he was aware that his decision to stand had led to friction between the party and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) that are allied on the federal level.
“I received advice from the party’s top leadership as well as assurances from Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, chairman of the Perikatan Nasional, on the understanding of the national political framework that was agreed between the Perikatan Nasional and Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg as the chairman of GPS.
“I humbly and sincerely withdraw as the N.39 Krian DUN candidate and give my full support to GPS candidate, Friday Belik.
“I call on all voters in DUN N.39 Krian, DUN N.38 Kalaka, and DUN N.40 Kabong, which all fall under the P.205 Saratok parliamentary constituency, to give their full support to GPS candidates,” he said in a statement today.
On December 6, Ali submitted his nomination papers to defend his Krian state assembly seat as an independent, at the Krian Community Hall in Seratok.
The two-term assemblyman and Saratok MP is currently the deputy minister for energy and natural resources at the federal level and joined Bersatu after exiting PKR during the “Sheraton Move” in 2020.
Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the party would be taking action against Ali and others for contesting as independent candidates in the Sarawak state election against the party’s orders.
Other than Ali and Friday, the other two candidates in Krian are Musa Dinggat from Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) and Danny Kuan from Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK)