Julau MP Larry Sng has revealed that he quit PKR in 2021 partly because of what he described as ‘excessive pressure’ from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).
Commenting on former PKR vice-presidents Tian Chua and Xavier Jayakumar’s decision to rejoin the party, Sng said he would still have been in PKR if not for the LHDN issue.
‘Anyway, that’s the past,’ he wrote on Facebook, without elaborating further.
No help forthcoming, says Sng
When contacted, Sng said the PKR leadership at the time was aware of his situation with LHDN, but he eventually left the party because no help was forthcoming.
‘I am absolutely certain that the investigation was politically motivated.
‘I was the Sarawak PKR chief at the time, which was the opposition then,’ he said.
Sng added that LHDN was ‘plucking figures from nowhere’ when it began investigating him.
Five years ago, Sng said his decision to leave PKR came after several days of consultation with his voters, describing the move as ‘a collective decision’.
Lack of funds in the opposition
At the time, Sng said Julau was the poorest constituency in the country and that he was unable to serve his constituents effectively because he lacked funds while sitting in the opposition.
He subsequently decided to switch his support to the Perikatan Nasional government led by then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
Later in 2021, he went on to lead Parti Bangsa Malaysia, which had been rebranded from the Sarawak Workers Party.
Lessons from national politics
In his latest Facebook post, Sng said he valued the experience of being part of a national party and the opportunity to personally get to know national leaders from West Malaysia.
‘It has also given me insight and appreciation into the importance of being in the government and the pains of being in the opposition,’ he said.
