By Nur Ashikin Louis and Ling Hui
KUCHING, Nov 3: Former P209 Julau MP Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum is back in the ring to reclaim the seat in the upcoming 15th General Election (GE15).
Salang previously held the seat for four terms from 1999 to 2013, before losing to incumbent Larry Sng Wei Shien in the 2018 General Election by a 1,931-vote majority.
The 71-year-old, who is the president of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) will contest under the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) banner.
“Julau was a constituency that I represented for four terms but I lost the seat in 2018.
“I’m glad that GPS chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has given me the opportunity to reclaim the seat for GPS this time,” he said when met after the announcement of GPS candidates for GE15 at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters here today.
When asked whether the recent controversy sparked by an apparent mutiny to remove Sng as Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) president will affect the number of votes for the latter, he replied in indecision.
“I do not know what is their internal problem, whether it has been resolved or not, or whether there is any internal problem or not.
“We only surmise from what we read in the media but what was actually happening in the party, we do not know.
“Regardless of that, we are prepared to work hard, do the best we can and convince the voters that this is the right time for them to change their representative because I think they themselves would know whether the present representative has done enough for them or not.
“They (voters) can also compare what I have done during my time as their MP and how I was treating them, so I think now they have quite a good idea to compare who they want to represent them this time,” he added. — DayakDaily
