By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Aug 16: Amid rumours, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth chief Datuk Snowdan Lawan declares that next week, he will clarify and make known the post he is eyeing at the party’s triennial delegates conference (TDC) this October in a press conference to be held at the party’s headquarters at Jalan Wan Alwi here.
Refusing to divulge further on his intended post, Snowdan, who is also Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts, reiterated that he needed to seek the opinion of his constituents before any decision could be made.
“I have already asked some grassroots for their opinion, to see what their view is on which is the best post for me (to be contested in). So, there are a lot of factors that I need to consider, not only within the party. Sometimes, you have to consider (the factors) outside the party as well…but I will make my decision sometime next week.”
The rumours that Snowdan would go for the presidency were sparked by his announcement that he would step down as Youth chief and contest for a higher position.
This is because by virtue of his position as Youth chief, he is also one of the vice presidents of the party. If he were to go up, there are only two possibilities: either as deputy president or president.
“To be fair, because a lot of the grassroots are asking me. They texted me, called me, asking me which post I want. I told them—’next week’. I cannot be too long because it’s quite near (the party election) already. So I have to make my decision on which position I want.”
On the party election, he said all divisions must meet between September 3 and 17 to nominate their candidates for president, deputy president, five vice presidential posts, Women’s chief, Youth chief, and Supreme Council members.
PRS, which was established in 2004, held its first open election in 2007, where Snowdan won in his contest as a Supreme Council member. The second party election, which was held in 2010, saw him lose, and so did the third election in 2013. During the fourth party election in 2016, Snowdan won when contesting for the Youth chief post.
Meanwhile, Snowdan emphasised that an open contest for PRS will not see the party breaking up. Citing the Sarawak and general elections, which are held every five years, he drew a parallel that holding these polls means giving back the power to the people.
“There is no issue of saying that if we vote, it (the party) will break. It will disunite the party. Nonsense. It’s all about us (the party members).
“Then why do we have our State election every five years? Why do we have a parliamentary election every five years? What’s the point? This is to give to the people, the kuasa (power),” said Snowdan when met by the media during DayakDaily’s Writing Competition 2025: Homestay Odyssey Award Ceremony held at a local hotel here today.
He said it is in an election that the people can decide who should be their leaders and that to him, it’s democracy at play.
“You imagine if there is no pilihan raya (election) after five years. No State election. (Every post) just by appointment—‘This term you (pointing at a reporter) become YB, next term you (pointed at another reporter) become YB’. You think the people want that? The people will get very angry.” — DayakDaily
