Parti Sarawak Bersatu
United Sarawak Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Malay name | Parti Sarawak Bersatu ڤرتي سراوق برساتو |
| Chinese name | 砂拉越團結黨 砂拉越团结党 Shālāyuè tuán jié dǎng |
| Abbreviation | PSB |
| Founders | Wong Soon Koh, Jerip Susil, George Lo, Johnnical Rayong, Ranum Mina |
| Founded | 2014 (founded as UPP), 2019 (renamed as PSB) |
| Split from | Sarawak United People's Party |
| Preceded by | United People's Party |
| Headquarters | Kuching, Sarawak |
| Ideology | Regionalism |
| Political position | Centre |
| National affiliation | Barisan Nasional (Allied parties) (2014-2018) Gabungan Parti Sarawak (Allied parties) (2018-2019) Pakatan Harapan (Allied parties) (2019-now) |
| Colours | Red, yellow, black, white |
| Dewan Negara: | 0 / 70 |
| Dewan Rakyat: | 2 / 222 |
| Sarawak State Legislative Assembly: | 6 / 82 |
| Website | |
| www | |
Parti Sarawak Bersatu on Facebook | |
| This article is part of a series on the |
| Politics of Malaysia |
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The United Sarawak Party (Template:Lang-ms, abbreviated PSB) is a multi-racial political party based in the state of Sarawak.[1]
History
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Formation as United People's Party (UPP)
The party was initially founded as United People's Party and officially launched on 17 August 2014 as a new symbol of change and unity for the Chinese community of Sarawak with its headquarters based at Kuching.[2][3] The UPP was started as a pro-Barisan Nasional political party and a splinter party of Sarawak United People's Party set-up by the Second Finance Minister for Sarawak, Wong Soon Koh and his supporters following a leadership tussle of the party then.[2][3] However the hopes that the UPP would join BN were objected by the coalition leadership.[4] UPP rejected Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu secretary general Dr Stephen Rundi Utom's suggestion that UPP should dissolve to pave the way for its members to join other BN component parties arguing that they have over 26 full-fledged branches with 30,000 members and that UPP was able to raise RM38 million (US$9.3 million) for an education fund in less than a fortnight. [5] UPP's ability to raise significant funds is widely attributed to the support they enjoy from Sarawak's powerful timber tycoons. [6]
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was made between UPP and SUPP of BN for the division of seats to be contested in the 2016 Sarawak state election which saw UPP win five out of seven seats it was allocated.[7] UPP however cancelled the MoU with SUPP after the 2016 state election.[8]
Both parties again signed MoU for collaboration in the 2018 general election.[9] After the GE14 which saw the downfall of BN federal government, the state BN components quit and formed themselves as the new Gabungan Parti Sarawak coalition without UPP.
Re-branding as Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB)
UPP was re-branded to United Sarawak Party or in Malay, Parti Sarawak Bersatu, after delegates of its extraordinary delegates conference on 8 December 2018 unanimously voted to amend the party's constitution and the Registrar of Societies had approved the name change as well as the party's new logo in 2019.[1] PSB amid being left out of newly formed GPS coalition, choose to maintain its status quo, but shift from BN to GPS friendly party by providing supply and confidence to the new GPS coalition Sarawak state government.[10] Somehow the party status changed when PSB opted to be an independent instead with its president, Wong tendered his resignation from the state Cabinet as the International Trade and e-Commerce Minister and second Minister of Finance in July 2019 .[11]
2020 Malaysian political crisis
During the 2020 Malaysian political crisis, the support inclination of PSB Sri Aman MP; Masir Kujat, for the tussling parties, has been in much speculation of the political scene.[12] Despite being arranged to be seated alongside the new governing Perikatan Nasional backbencher MPs in the Dewan Rakyat during the historic the one-day Parliament sitting on 17 May, Masir has clarified that he and the PSB party is still in the opposition bloc in the federal and state levels.[13]
Impact of the political crisis had also witnessed 2 former top Sarawak People's Justice Party figures; Selangau MP cum Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian and Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, together with their supporters have joined PSB on 30 May 2020.[14]
Elected representatives
Member of Parliament
| State | No. | Parliament Constituency | Member | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sarawak
|
P202 | Sri Aman | Masir Kujat | PSB | ||
| P214 | Selangau | Baru Bian | PSB | |||
| Total | Sarawak (2) | |||||
Dewan Undangan Negeri (State Legislative Assembly)
Malaysian State Assembly Representatives
PSB for the time being has six members in the 18th Sarawak State Legislative Assembly:
| State | No. | State Constituency | Member | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarawak
|
N1 | Opar | Ranum Mina | PSB | ||
| N11 | Batu Lintang | See Chee How | PSB | |||
| N33 | Engkilili | Johnical Rayong Ngipa | PSB | |||
| N52 | Dudong | Tiong Thai King | PSB | |||
| N53 | Bawang Assan | Wong Soon Koh | PSB | |||
| N81 | Ba'kelalan | Baru Bian | PSB | |||
| Total | Sarawak (6) | |||||
See also
References
- ^ a b "Its now PSB". The Borneo Post. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ a b Jessica Jawing (21 October 2014). "Parti Rakyat Bersatu lancar ibu pejabat di Kuching" (in Malay). Utusan Borneo. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ^ a b "Bekas ahli SUPP bentuk parti baharu dikenali Parti Rakyat Bersatu" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 17 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ^ "Harapan UPP dan Teras untuk sertai gabungan BN Sarawak berkecai". Bernama (in Malay). Berita Harian. 6 December 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
- ^ "Lo UPP Will Not Be Dissolved to Remain BN Friendly". Bernama. The Borneo Post. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ "Tycoon Politics in Sarawak". Bernama. Malaysia Today. 1 May 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ "Adenan: Masalah BN S'wak selesai sebelum penamaan calon". Bernama (in Malay). Malaysiakini. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ "Decision to terminate MOU made during UPP TDC over the weekend". Bernama (in Malay). The Borneo Post. 9 July 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ "GE14: SUPP, UPP to collaborate under SUPP flag". Dayak Daily. 23 March 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
- ^ "United People's Party renamed Parti Sarawak Bersatu, pledges support for Abang Johari". Malay Mail. 8 December 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
- ^ "Sarawak CM: Wong Soon Koh's resignation as Cabinet minister accepted". Malay Mail. 20 July 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Sri Aman MP now in Dr M's camp". Malay Mail. 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
- ^ "Perikatan govt majority falls to two after Sarawak MP Masir Kujat insists still part of Opposition bloc". Malay Mail. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
- ^ "It's official – Baru, See join PSB with over 20 former PKR leaders". Borneo Post. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
External links
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