KUCHING, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman is confident that its elected representatives, especially members of parliament, will not defect to the opposition because party-hopping is not a culture in the politics of PBB, Sarawak Barisan Nasional's (BN) backbone.
Daud, who is also assistant minister in the Chief Minister's Office (Islamic Affairs), said PBB members were very loyal to the party, as was proven during last year's state election when a number of incumbents, who were not renominated, had continued to be loyal to PBB by staying put with the party and served the people in different capacities.
"The situation in Sarawak is different and I definitely agree rumours that some PBB leaders would be crossing over to the opposition (in the run-up to the coming parliamentary polls) are a ploy by the opposition to deceive the people," he told reporters after attending the presentation of business tithe from the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) to Tabung Baitumal, here today.
The tithe amounting to RM221,453 for the first six months of this year was presented by STIDC chairman Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan to Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
Daud said whether the incumbents would be retained or dropped in the coming polls was up to the leadership, which had yet to make any decision on the matter for the time being, adding, that he was sure those not in the list would not take a drastic step to jump to the opposition camp.
Speculations of similar defections in the state were raised following the crossing over of two BN MPs from Sabah, Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin and Datuk Wilfred Bumburing, to Parti Keadilan Rakyat last month.
Meanwhile, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker and Santubong Member of Parliament Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, one of the names mentioned in an online report recently, denied that he was one of the MPs from PBB as he was always loyal to the party.
He was quoted to have said the rumours were just an ill attempt by the opposition to weaken the BN while Petra Jaya MP Datuk Fadillah Yusuf had also denied them.
