Tan Sri Dr James Masing
KUCHING: Seven Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) leaders will be slugging it out for the five posts of elected vice-president in the party’s triennial delegates conference (TDC) in Sibu on Sept 20.
They are Julau MP Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Kanowit MP Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, Lubok Antu MP William Nyalau Badak, state assemblymen Datuk John Sikie Tayai (Kakus), Datuk Mong Dagang (Bukit Begunan), Datuk Abit Joo and Majang Renggi.
There will be no contest for the two top posts.
Tan Sri Dr James Masing and Datuk Joseph Entulu will remain as president and deputy president respectively after the TDC.
There will be a ‘Royal Rumble’ sort of fight for the 15 ordinary supreme council member posts as 46 party members have been nominated by delegates for the posts.
Masing, who is Baleh assemblyman and Land Development Minister, revealed this at a 1.30pm press conference at the party’s headquarters in Jalan Pending here yesterday.
Among the notable personalities eyeing the 15 ordinary supreme council posts are assemblymen Malcolm Mussen Lamoh (Batang Ai) and Snowdan Lawan (Balai Ringin); political secretaries to the chief minister Angeline Umih and Wilson Nyabong Ijang who is also PRS information chief; entrepreneur Datuk Kristoffer Nyuak as well as PRS Batu Kawa chairman Lau Ting Ping and current supreme council member Azizi Morni.
Mussen is the current treasurer-general while Snowdan is current deputy secretary-general.
Nomination closed at 5pm yesterday and it was not known at press time if the number of nominations for the supreme council member posts had changed.
Masing also revealed that Tamin assemblyman Datuk Joseph Mauh Ikeh has declined from contesting in any post including that of the vice-president.
Sri Aman MP Masir Kujat and Hulu Rajang MP Wilson Ugak Kumbong as well as Belaga assemblyman Liwan Lagang withdrew their respective nominations for the vice-president posts, he added.
However, Liwan is now the new PRS Youth chief after Mong declined nomination for the post.
Masing said he would only know if there would be changes in any of the appointed posts after the TDC.
As president, he has the power to appoint any member to any appointed post like secretary-general, treasurer-general and information chief and their deputies as well as four appointed ordinary supreme council members.
“Only after the result of the TDC is out can we appoint members. The 46 nominations for 15 supreme council member posts show that people are very eager to be in,” he said.
He was glad to note that many top positions in the party were uncontested, which was proof that the party was solid and united.
“Members are not fighting for top posts but as for the bottom posts, let them go around and see how much support they have and I think this (contests for bottom posts) is healthy in any party in Sarawak,” he added.
The TDC for the party’s Women and Youth wings will be held a day earlier, also in Sibu.
Current Women chief Senator Doris Sophia Berodie and her deputy Nuai Gema will be uncontested.
The two Women vice-presidents – political secretary to the chief Minister Angeline Umih and Roselind Neging – will also retain their posts uncontested.
According to supreme council member Edward Kurik, who is also executive secretary and deputy treasurer-general, there will also be no contest for the 10 Women supreme council member posts because when nominations closed at 5pm yesterday, 10 nominees had withdrawn while another 10 accepted.
However, he said he could not tell how many nominations had been received for the post of 10 Youth supreme council members because some might have been couriered from the divisions but arrived late at the headquarters.
The deputy Youth chief would be Sempurai Petrus Ngelai, a lawyer from Sibu as the post like Liwan’s (Youth chief) was uncontested.
Initially, four names – Jelani Ajang, Sempurai, Jessy Bitok and Kemarau Entalai – were nominated for the two Youth vice-chairman positions.
However, Jelani and Sempurai withdrew their nominations, allowing Jessy and Kemarau to be uncontested.
Youth chief (Liwan) and Women chief (Doris) will automatically become appointed vice-presidents in the PRS main body, said Edward. - theborneopost
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