BN Sarawak assemblyman submits membership form to PKR! - malaysiakini

Malaysiakini's report:

A Sarawak Barisan Nasional elected representative has applied to join the opposition Parti Keadilan rakyat (PKR), according to reliable sources.

MCPX

He has been identified as state assemblyperson for Meluan Wong Judat from the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), a component member of the state BN.

Malaysiakini learnt that Wong has handed a signed PKR membership form to one of Sarawak PKR's two assemblypersons, together with a signed letter of resignation as SPDP member.

However, it is believed that Wong has since changed his mind on the matter.

It is unclear why Wong, a businessman cum politician who first won the predominantly Iban seat in central Sarawak on an independent ticket in the 2001 state elections, had wanted to leave BN.

Failed to turn up at PKR dinner

Wong joined SPDP soon after the 2001 state elections but was almost dropped at the last minute prior to the May 2006 state elections after his seat was eyed by a number of SPDP leaders.

According to sources, Wong was to have turned up at the PKR dinner gathering in Miri last week during a visit by party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, but had balked at the idea after pressure from some quarters.

SPDP, one of the four state BN component parties, has seven state assemblypersons, including Wong, and four MPs. It is led by a senior state minister, William Mawan.

Wong had not appeared in public functions for sometime until a few days ago when he turned up twice at the Iban longhouse in Ng Matap, Julau, to give out aid to fire victims.

SPDP deputy secretary-general Paul Igai, who is also a political secretary to Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, has recently met Wong to discuss rumours of his defection.

According to Igai, the state assemblyperson had told him he would remain loyal to SPDP - malaysiakini.com