Sarawak Bersatu chairman Jaziri Alkaf Abdilah Suffian said the trio are Siki Balarik (Belaga), Ricky Enteri (Bawang Assan) and Ismawi Muhammad (Muara Tuang).

Bernama quoted Jaziri as saying Bersatu was firm in its stand not to contest the elections.

He said the trio had been dismissed in accordance with the party’s constitution and there were no members left who were contesting in the Dec 18 polls.

“We had given them the time and opportunity to withdraw but they did not, so their membership has been terminated,” Jaziri said.

He said this after visiting the Chunggat longhouse in Munnu Ubah yesterday to help deputy energy and natural resources minister Ali Biju campaign for Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) candidate Friday Belik for the Krian state seat.

Ali had caused a stir on Dec 6 when he filed nomination papers to be an independent candidate in Krian, going against Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin’s stance that the party would not contest in the elections and would instead fully support GPS candidates.

He later changed his mind and withdrew from contesting the seat to preserve and strengthen the ties between Perikatan Nasional (PN) and GPS.

Earlier, Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the party would not hesitate to take action against any member standing in the elections without party permission, including the immediate termination of their memberships.