KUCHING: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) has lost one seat after Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How declared himself an independent elected representative, said Sarawak State Assembly speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nasar.
Mohamad Asfia said he received a letter from See on Friday (Aug 12), explaining that he had quit PSB with immediate effect.
Following See's decision, Mohamad Asfia said PSB is now left with three seats, DAP (two), Gabungan Parti Sarawak (76) and independent (one).
"We accept and we will rearrange (the seating position of) the Opposition (in the state assembly).
"He (See) did not switch (his party) but only resigned (from PSB) to become an independent elected representative," he told a press conference at the state assembly building today.
Mohamad Asfia said through the letter, the Batu Lintang assemblyman informed that he would continue to serve the people in the constituency and in the state despite being an independent elected representative.
In the last Sarawak State Election, See defended the Batu Lintang seat after garnering 4,420 votes defeating GPS candidate, Sih Hua Tong who received 4,327 votes, Cherishe Ng (PKR - 1,823 votes), Voon Lee Shan of Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK - 1,570 votes) and Alex Leong from Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi - 187 votes).
Mohamad Asfia said the third meeting of the Sarawak Legislative State Assembly is scheduled to take place in November.
Meanwhile, PSB president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said See should resign as an assemblyman after leaving the party.
In a statement today, Wong said based on oral and written undertakings made by See before being selected as the party's candidate in the last state election, See also had to compensate the party if he chose to resign after winning the seat as a PSB candidate.
"PSB deeply regrets the action of YB (Yang Berhormat) See in resigning as a member after he won his seat of Batu Lintang in the last Sarawak election as a representative of PSB.
"YB See is also fully aware of the commitments, both oral and written, that he had given to PSB before he was selected to be the candidate for PSB in the constituency of Batu Lintang," he said.
Wong said as a matter of principle, PSB would avail itself of all necessary actions and remedies in respect of the commitments made by See.--BERNAMA