Former Anglican priest joins politics in run up to Sarawak Election

KUCHING, Nov 11  -- The build-up towards the 12th Sarawak state election took a rare twist today when the state’s former Anglican Bishop Datuk Bolly Lapok announced his decision to join Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).

While the announcement led to speculations that the 69-year-old former priest would be fielded by the party in the coming election, its president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said, for now, Bolly has joined them without any conditions.

“ So rest assured that his conviction to the people of Sarawak is that he would like to play a role in politics through PSB. And that is for now,” he told a press conference at the party’s office here.

Bolly who sat beside Wong at the press conference was also evasive when posed with further questions on the matter by stating that today’s event was only to announce his decision to join PSB.

“For now I am submitting my membership through his (Wong’s) invitation,” he said.

Reading a statement, Bolly said that many would be surprised by his decision to join politics as it would be seen as unconventional, and difficult to reconcile with the image that he had been associated with all this while.

Retired in 2017, he said that he was no stranger to politicians of the various political parties in Sarawak and would treasure the bond of friendship that he had enjoyed with them.

“Whatever the expectations, I must stress that after having been consecrated to serve as Bishop of the Anglican Church, I find it highly inconsistent, even insidious to think that God’s plan for me has ended on the date of my retirement,” he added.

-- BERNAMA