KUCHING, July 11 — Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has not considered accepting Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin back into its fold as he has never applied to rejoin the party, said its state information and communication chief Abun Sui Anyit.

Abun said PKR would respond accordingly should Willie, who quit the party in 2020, apply to rejoin the party but nevertheless pointed out that the feelings of the Puncak Borneo grassroots may not be in incumbent MP’s favour.

"Even if Willie applies to rejoin the party, the sentiment on the ground in Puncak Borneo will tell the answer. As the party’s information and communication chief, I believe the response would be negative.

"Furthermore, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) will make its decision on whether to take him or not as he had already applied to join PBB,” he said.

Abun said this when asked on the possibility of PKR taking back Willie to defend Puncak Borneo in the 15th General Election (GE15).

Willie, who is Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities II, won the parliamentary seat in the 14th General Election on a PKR ticket.

He garnered 18,885 votes to defeat Barisan Nasional candidate Genot Sinel and Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party’s Buln Ribos to win by a majority of 4,005 votes.

Meanwhile, Abun said PKR will certainly contest in Puncak Borneo to win back the seat, adding that the party has been making preparations since Willie left to join Perikatan Nasional.

He said PKR has shortlisted a few names, who are all professionals, as its potential candidates to contest in Puncak Borneo in GE15. However, he declined to reveal the names of the potential candidates.

"Whoever there are, our candidates in Sarawak including in Puncak Borneo have started campaigning since a few years back as we had previously expected Parliament would be dissolved (together) with the Sarawak legislative assembly.”

There are talks that a former government servant, who had opted for early retirement to be a full-time politician, has been going all out to make PKR and Pakatan Harapan’s presence felt in Puncak Borneo.

PBB, on the other hand, is also aiming to win back the seat which was previously its stronghold, held by the late Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos Mamit until Willie’s victory in GE14. — Borneo Post