Posted on March 6, 2011, Sunday

KUCHING: Barisan Nasional (BN) members must not practise ‘vulture politics’ said Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Dato Sri Dr James Jemut Masing yesterday.

“If any member of a component party is having problems, we must come and check out how best we can help. We must learn to assist one another in whatever situation we are in for us to remain cohesive as a fighting unit,” he told reporters during the BN state Convention.

Masing said he was also a victim of such backstabbing during his short tenure as head of a BN component party.

“It was painful and very disheartening to realise that it happened among ‘friends’. However, during this time I also experienced real commitment, real assistance and genuine friendship from my BN colleagues,” he recalled.

Masing also said it was important to remain united in facing the coming state election that he described as particularly challenging.

“This time we’re not fighting against ordinary oppositions. They are now more organised, have the brains and resources, and we cannot take them lightly.

“We need this spirit of genuine comradeship more than ever now as we approach the general election,” he added.

He further added that ties between BN members should be treated like a “permanent marriage” and not just “mere ordinary partnership”.

Instead, he told BN supporters to work and strengthen as a team to fight the opposition.

He also urged the people to focus on the youths, whose voting power had not been fully tapped.

“We also need to explore all online social networks to reach out to our youths,” he said.

Mawan also appealed to BN supporters to work closely with the civil servants in the coming election.

Meanwhile, Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan said they were now in fifth gear in facing the state election.

 “We are now more fired up than ever. In fact, we are now in fifth gear and raring to go,” he said. -

Source: The Borneo Post