By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Dec 11: Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) will reclaim three seats that have been taken by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), said its newly appointed secretary-general Datuk Nelson Balang Rining today.
Two of these seats — Batu Danau and Bekenu — went to PBB when their incumbents, Paulus Palu Gumbang and Rosey Yusuf, respectively, were accepted into the party soon after the last state election in 2016.
The third one — Pakan — also ended up the same way when its incumbent, Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom, was admitted into PBB recently.
“That was one of the issues that was discussed during the (PDP) supreme council meeting. We want GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) to give back to us the seats that belonged to PDP,” Balang told a news conference at PDP headquarters here today.
The party’s remaining five seats are Marudi, Meluan, Krian, Ba Kelalan and Tasik Biru. However, PDP lost Krian and Ba kelalan to the opposition in the last state election.
On the recent party appointments, former Mas Gading MP Datuk Anthony Nogeh Gumbek would be the new deputy president, swapping the post with Balang.
Balang said the appointments were based on seniority in the party as well as courtesy of the president.
Meanwhile, he revealed that the two posts of senior vice-presidents would go to Senator Datuk Paul Igai and Baram MP Anyi Ngau. The new vice-presidents are assemblymen Dato Henry Harry Jinep (Tasik Biru), Roland Duat Jubin (Meluan) and Datu Dr Penguang Manggil (Marudi).
PDP’s supreme council meeting, which was chaired by party president-cum-Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing in Bintulu last Sunday, decided unanimously that the president’s post is to be retained by Tiong.
PDP’s Triennial General Assembly (TGA) will be held in Bintulu on Jan 12. There will be no election for the top posts in the Women and Youth wings of the party. Currently, PDP has some 100,000 registered members in 47 divisions statewide. — DayakDaily
