‘Let new leaders helm SUPP’

KUCHING: SUPP Sibu chief Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh yesterday proposed that all “controversial leaders”, including himself, step down to pave the way for a new election to rejuvenate the party.

Those aligned to party president Tan Sri Peter Chin must do likewise in order to avoid another round of confrontation between both warring factions when the election is called, he stressed.

He also advised former elected representatives (YBs) who are holding top posts in the party to retire so that the present crop of YBs and young professionals could come to the fore to rejuvenate the party.

“I, being the leader of this group, an elected representative and also senior minister, is willing to step aside and not participating in the election. Our group feels that if I do not participate, then Peter Chin and all ex-SUPP YBs, they know who they are, should not participate,” Wong told a press conference at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel here yesterday.

Also present were assemblymen Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa (Engkilili) and Ranum Mina (Opar).

Wong explained that this proposed solution would enable young leaders to take over the helm and take the party out of its current slump.

“Our intention is to allow younger leaders to come into office and lead SUPP. This includes our four Bumiputera state elected representatives so that our party will have the leadership of younger people, new image and move forward with new vitality.

“This could be the breakthrough for the party.”

Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister and Minister of Local Government and Community Development, said except for the deputy president cum Serian MP Datuk Richard Riot, the party was now led by a team of former YBs who had all lost their seats either in the last state or general elections.

“These former YBs continue to maintain their grip on power in the party hierarchy despite the fact that voters have rejected them in their constituencies.

“At the end of the day, party interest is the most important. Office held by individual person is irrelevant if the party is weak and going downhill.”

Wong reiterated that his group was very committed in wanting to save the party since day one.

When the crisis arose in the run-up to the party’s triennial delegates’ conference (TDC) in December 2011, he said his group held a meeting with the other group, and the meeting was chaired by Chin’s predecessor Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan.

During the meeting, Wong said his group proposed a cooling off period by postponing the TDC until after the general election, and Dr Chan agreed to it, but Chin’s faction insisted the TDC must be held every three years based on the party’s constitution.

The group also proposed that to avoid direct confrontation, controversial leaders in the internal feud, including Wong, Chin and all those who had lost in the 2011 state election, abstained from participating in the TDC election.

But that proposal was also rejected.

In the end, the TDC went ahead but the group led by Wong boycotted it, claiming irregularities in some of the branch elections.

“Our group has tried our best to save the party, but, unfortunately, all our proposals have not being well received by the other side. There is nothing much we can do.”

Meanwhile, Dr Jerip hoped the Registrar of Societies (ROS) would expedite its decision on the party. -  theborneopost

PRS confident of wresting back Pelagus

KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) is confident it will be able to wrest back Pelagus from the opposition in the next state election despite Larry Sng’s declaration that he has been eyeing that seat.

Larry is president of Sarawak Workers Party.

PRS vice-president Majang Renggi believed voters in Pelagus were now wiser and aware that the opposition could not do much to develop the area.

“I am sure voters in Pelagus realised that it was mistake to vote for the opposition in the last state election as present Pelagus elected representative George Lagong from SWP contributed nothing to its development.

“We are not perturbed by the news that Larry is eyeing the seat. He is most welcome to contest in Pelagus. We uphold his democratic right to do so, but he will soon realise that Pelagus is no longer that easy to retain,” Majang told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Majang was responding to Larry’s statement on Monday that SWP had decided to contest in seven seats including Pelagus where Larry himself would stand as a candidate.

Meanwhile, PRS member Bakat Gira who hails from Kapit said it was a case of ‘once bitten twice shy’ for the people of Pelagus. They made the wrong choice in the last state election and would not make the same mistake again.

“The best George has been doing is talk but no action. He cannot deliver because he is in the opposition and that is not what the people want. They want a representative that can bring tangible development.

“Now they realise that only a BN representative can deliver. Even if Larry were to contest, I believe the people have already lost confidence in the party and its candidates,” said Bakat.

As Pelagus assemblyman from 2001 to 2011, Larry believed George Lagong was warming the seat for him when Larry himself was uncertain of his own political move during the 2011 state election.

He was left partyless after being sacked from PRS for insubordination in 2009.

Larry later registered SWP in April 2013 which contested in all six parliamentary seats held by PRS but to no avail. - theborneopost

SWP is daydreaming – former leader

KUCHING: Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) is lost in the reverie for putting forth their hope to contest in seven seats in the next state election, says its former leader.

The party’s former supreme council member Andy Lawrence, now a political activist, claimed that the party’s decision was all for political power to benefit only the Sng’s family.

Andy said this when responding to SWP president Larry Sng’s announcement on the party’s direction of wanting to contest in at least seven seats in the next state election and its urgent need to inform members about their intention at the earliest possible moment.

“They could not even make inroads in the last parliamentary election and they are now trying their luck in the next state election,” Andy said questioning the party’s latest move.

“Based on the results of the last parliamentary election, it is better for SWP to wake up now, and stop fooling the people,” he said.

Sng had on Monday revealed that the party has decided to contest in seven seats in the coming state election out of which, four candidates has been identified. These are Pelagus, Meluan, Engkilili and Tamin.

Sng did not mince his word when he said that he might be contesting in Pelagus but the incumbent now is his deputy president George Lagong.

Andy reckoned that SWP should just be a welfare organisation and focus on helping sick children which they have been actively involved in currently.

“The people should now realise that SWP is the one which is practising bad politics,” he said, adding that it was the sort of political style which the Sngs had accused PRS of adopting.

“Unfulfilled promises are plenty in the seats they contested in the last parliamentary election and even in the Lubok Antu seat which the president himself contested in,” he added.

Andy, who left SWP about a month before the last parliamentary election, pointed out that an honourable politician will always fulfill what he or she promised, even if he or she had lost the battle. - theborneopost

Dr Rundi scorches opposition’s effort

SIBU: State BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi yesterday warned the opposition not to expect the people to fall for its brand of politics.

He was asked if the coming state election would see a different political landscape following the emergence of many new political parties in the scene, and whether the state BN expect a tougher fight than that in the last state polls.

The five new newcomers are Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras), Parti Bumi Kenyalang, Peace Party and Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDS Baru) and Parti Ekonomi Rakyat Sarawak Bersatu (Persb).

“We don’t expect much difference and if any, there will be more confusion within the opposition if they think they can instigate/manipulate the Dayaks,” the Kemena assemblyman told The Borneo Post.

Making it a crowded affair, SWP announced that they would contest in seven state constituencies in the next state election though it is at least two years away.

Its president Larry Sng said the seven seats they intended to field candidates in included Pelagus, Meluan, Engkilili and Tamin whose candidates had been identified.

Of the four state constituency seats, two are held by BN with Dr Johnical Rayong (SUPP) as assemblyman for Engkilili and PRS Datuk Joseph Mauh, assemblyman for Tamin.

SWP-held seats are Pelagus (George Lagong) and Meluan (Wong Judat). Judat left SPDP last year to cross over to SWP.

Asked if SWP would make inroad this time around now that they had agreed to work with PR, Dr Rundi, who is assistant minister of public utilities (electricity and telecommunications), said BN is always in a state of readiness.

“We in BN don’t take any election lightly and will fight any opposition all out, no matter who they are,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, PBB supreme council member Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said: “Personally, I see it a bit too early to sound the trumpet on which seat should be contested.

“As Malaysia is a democratic country, SWP is free to contest any seat in the next state election. Whether they can make inroad into any seat is yet to be seen.”

Abdul Karim, who is also Assistant Minister of Youth Development and Asajaya assemblyman, said it was not going to be easy for SWP, judging from its performance in the last general election.

Nevertheless, he figured it was good to make early preparations and that the people have the final say.

He reckoned the next state election would be just like any other election.

“We might see more players as more political parties have registered. But politics is no kid’s game. Parties need visionary and dedicated leaders wiith good objectives, machinery and finance,” he noted.

Abdul Karim said it would not be easy for those fishing for ‘luck’ in an election as voters are more matured now.

SPDP deputy secretary-general Paul Igai when contacted said: “SPDP will make a come back in Meluan for the sake of the people there, without a second thought.” - theborneopost

PRS confident of wresting back Meradong and Sarikei for BN

SARIKEI: Democratic Action Party (DAP) is preparing to embark on its ‘go rural’ programme in nearby Pakan and Meluan constituencies.

But Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) branch in neighbouring Meradong District has a strategy to help Barisan Nasional (BN) wrest back Meradong state seat and Sarikei parliamentary seat from the opposition.

For that, PRS Meradong Division has put in place a comprehensive programme to strengthen and widen its influence, especially in rural areas, its publicity chief Joseph Allen told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Their focus would be recruitment of new members and their main target, youths.

“We believe this group is vulnerable to opposition propaganda,” he said, adding that most youths believe the information disseminated through the social media.

‘”We cannot allow our young generation to be influenced by it as it will be difficult to change their mindset,” he said.

To bring youths into BN’s fold, they will seek assistance from educated members of the community including teachers and government servants, Joseph revealed.

They would also set up sub-branches in every polling station to look into the needs and problems of the community in their areas.

According to him, committee members had been moving around since last month to embark on the programme.

“Next Saturday, we will carry out a programme in Ulu Sungai Selidap and set up a sub-branch there,” he added.

Joseph was confident BN would be able to wrest back Meradong state seat and Sarikei parliamentary seat which had been the BN’s stronghold during Tan Sri Law Hieng Ding’s era.

Furthermore, the Iban and other Bumiputera community, who make more than half of the registered voters in Meradong want development, which only the BN can deliver, he added. - theborneopost

PRS, SPDP hope for more MPs after cabinet reshuffle

KUCHING: Both Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) are hopeful that their MPs will be included in the Federal Cabinet which is expected to be reshuffled after the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) annual general meeting in December.

PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Masing said that since the party’s quota for a deputy minister’s post had not been filled, the party would expect Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to appoint one of its four MPs to fill the slot.

“We have lobbied for extra position since the 13th general election (GE13). We just ask for a position which we rightly deserved. In spite of that we are allocated with one minister similar to those parties which obtained less than PRS.

“That’s not right. I hope that top BN leaders will give a fair consideration on next appointment, otherwise our supporters will be disappointed,” Masing told The Borneo Post here yesterday.

After GE13, Najib had announced that PRS would be allocated with one full minister and a deputy minister’s posts.

However, PRS deputy president Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun accepted his post as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department but PRS vice-president Datuk Joseph Salang turned down the post of Deputy Minister of Tourism.

Salang was subsequently appointed as chairman of the 1Malaysia Sarawak Advisory Council recently, which is under the direct purview of the prime minister.

According to Masing, he had made his nomination to the prime minister.

“It’s up to him to decide. However, PRS choice till now is not for public consumption,” said Masing, a Senior Minister and Minister of Land Development.

PRS has four other MPs, namely Masir Kujat (Sri Aman), William Nyallau Badak (Lubok Antu), Datuk Aaron Dagang (Kanowit) and Wilson Ugak Kumbong (Hulu Rajang).

Masing was responding to Najib’s recent comment that he (Najib) would have to wait until December for the outcome of MCA’s AGM to fill the slot of transport minister currently held by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on a temporary basis.

“Whatever it is, we wait for the AGM first. What is the decision to be made at the MCA annual general meeting (AGM) to be held in December. Subsequently, I will make a decision,” Najib had told Malaysian reporters in London while attending the Ninth World Islamic Economic Forum (9th WIEF).

Najib, who is also Umno president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, was asked to comment on the decision of the MCA recently that refused to accept any cabinet post following its severe defeat in the 13th general election.

On Oct 20, a special meeting of the MCA had decided to maintain the resolution.

However, MCA had passed the motion that it will accept the post of senatorship and any post in the federal and state government, including as executive council members (exco).

Meanwhile, SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan also hoped that Najib’s administration will accommodate the party’s request in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle.

“Our party always maintained that we will continue to lobby for cabinet appointments for our MPs as currently we have none,” Mawan reiterated.

Prior to the last general elections, SPDP had two deputy ministers — Datuk Jacob Sagan and Jelaing Mersat. SPDP has four MPs. - theborneopost

SWP to contest seven seats, Larry likely in Pelagus

KUCHING: Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) will be contesting in seven seats in the next state election with its president Larry Sng likely to stand in his former constituency of Pelagus.

“I hope to contest in Pelagus. From now to the next state election, there is still a bit of time and many things can change,” said Sng.

He said the party has decided to contest in seven seats in the coming state election out of which, it would stand in four seats – Pelagus, Meluan, Engkilili and Tamin – whose candidates have been identified.

Sng kept mum on the three other seats as the candidates are yet to be named.

“We will announce it after we have gauged our chances of winning in the areas,” Sng told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Though the state election is two years away at least, Sng decided to make the announcement because other political parties – ruling and opposition – already have their election machinery in place and are moving on the ground.

“We can’t leave things to the last minute. We have to prepare our members and let them know the direction to head for,” said the former deputy president of Party Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) before being sacked for insubordination.

He admitted he was not able to gauge the winning chances in these seven seats, but the party intended to move on the ground and listen to the grassroots.

On whether the party would join Pakatan Rakyat (PR), Sng said SWP is an opposition party and in its last annual general meeting, delegates had agreed it should work with opposition parties.

He had met with PR leaders and was waiting for things to be finalised.

“We are moving in that direction and will make an announcement at the appropriate time.”

SWP, a new party registered in April 2012 contested in all six parliamentary constituencies of PRS – Julau, Kanowit, Hulu Rajang, Lubok Antu, Sri Aman and Selangau – in the last general election but it failed to capture any of these seats from PRS.

Sng admitted that PRS – a Barisan Nasional (BN) component that is better facilitated and equipped with election machinery and facilities – could extend its influence. - theborneopost