By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Dec 16: PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing is set to make a comeback to Sarawak politics after his party’s supreme council decided to pave the way for him to contest in the coming state election.
According to Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) vice-president Rolland Duat Jubin, during PDP’s recent supreme council meeting, Tiong, who is the current Bintulu MP, was endorsed to contest in one of PDP’s eight traditional seats.
“My president, of course will contest in this state election. As a president he must have a seat in the state assembly, that’s what we suggested,” Duat told DayakDaily during the PDP Media Night event at a restaurant here last night.
However, he refused to identify which seat Tiong will contest.
“I cannot say wherever (seat). But at least one seat in PDP,” he reiterated.
On a related issue, Duat also revealed that his party has identified eight candidates to contest in its eight seats.
“That’s the decision we made during the supreme council meeting that there will be only one candidate for one particular seat. If we put more than one (candidate) they (supporters) will get confused and will eventually quarrel. And the one not chosen will ‘kacau’ (disturb). That’s why as per our previous studies, we will put one only per seat,” he said.
Duat also revealed that more candidates may be identified to contest in the upcoming state election.
“Definitely, we have identified them for the eight seats. (But) maybe more (candidates). And we want more (seats to contest).
He was confident that this time around PDP will be able to win in all its seats due to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS)’s effective and efficient administration.
“GPS now is stronger you know. And as we have identified the eight candidates, sure they can win the election,” he said, adding that the identified candidates are moving on the ground in their respective areas.
PDP’s traditional seats are Ba’Kelalan, Marudi, Batu Danau, Bekenu, Meluan, Pakan, Krian and Tasik Biru.
However, due to internal conflict in PDP during the last state election held in 2016, two of the seats — Batu Danau and Bekenu — were contested by Barisan Nasional-direct candidates, Paulus Palu Gumbang and Rosey Yunos respectively, where they both won. They subsequently joined fellow GPS component party Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB). PDP also lost two seats, namely Ba Kelalalan and Krian, in the past state election.
Meanwhile, Rolland who is also Meluan assemblyman said, there is a possibility that his predecessor Wong Judat will make a comeback to contest against him.
“I’m not sure whether he (Wong) will contest. But I’m ready to fight. I have been working very hard for my constituency in the past three years. I have proven that I have helped the people with so many allocations from GPS under Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi) Abang Jo (Johari Tun Openg).
“CM Abang Jo really cares for the people, you know. He has proven that with so many projects disbursed. He has helped not only in Meluan but also throughout Sarawak,” he said.
On the RM5 million annual Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) allocation from the GPS government, he said it has greatly helped him to bring greater development to the people at the grassroots level.
“With the RTP, I can disburse funds to the longhouses for their various needs such as roofing materials and so on. It has great impact on my people,” he added. — DayakDaily
