KUCHING, Dec 7: Sri Aman MP Dato Sri Doris Brodie and Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong from Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) should be considered to take up federal deputy ministerial posts in Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s new cabinet.
In view that the unity government is currently looking into the appointment of deputy ministers, PRS Youth chief Datuk Snowdan Lawan has recommended the two MPs for portfolios which the Prime Minister deems fit in representing the rural indigenous people of Sarawak.Â
“PRS, as one of the component parties in Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), can offer at least two of our MPs namely Dato Sri Doris Brodie and Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong.
“We sincerely hope that they are among those being shortlisted based on merits,” he said in a statement today.Â
Snowdan, who is also Deputy Minister of Creative Industry and Performing Arts, emphasised that Doris’ appointment would partially fulfill Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) terms where indigenous people from Sarawak, especially women will have representation at the federal level.
He said Doris, who is also PRS Women’s chief, rising through the rank-and-file in politics is not new ever since she first joined Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) before becoming a PRS member until today.Â
She wrested back the Sri Aman federal seat in her general election debut this year with a convincing majority of 4,039 votes when she garnered 14,131 votes against nearest rival from Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) Walsin@ Wilson Entabang (10,092) and unseated three-term incumbent independent Dato Masir Kujat (5,673) and Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) Tay Wei Wei (2021).
“Moreover, Doris’ experience in the federal (level) began way back in March 2010 when she was appointed as a Senator and had served as Deputy Speaker in the House of Senate in 2016 for two terms.
“Back in Sarawak here, and prior to the GE15 (15th General Election), she was also a political secretary who reported directly to our Premier (of Sarawak) on the current issues surrounding the Sri Aman Division,” Snowdan elaborated.
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As for Ugak, Snowdan said he is the three-term incumbent of the Hulu Rajang seat and is a party loyalist as well as the current party’s vice president.
“He garnered very strong grassroot support, also by a convincing majority of 7,505 votes in the Hulu Rajang parliamentary seat in the recent GE15.
“In April 2020, Ugak was the first Iban to be appointed as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman,” Snowdan said.
In the last GE15, Snowdan pointed out, PRS had performed well by winning five out of the six federal seats it contested and was able to regain the seats of Selangau, Lubok Antu and Sri Aman.
The Selangau seat was won by GPS’ Edwin Banta while Lubok Antu was won by rookie Roy Gingkoi who has been regarded as a giant killer for defeating incumbent MP Jugah Muyang from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Engkilili assemblyman Johnical Rayong from PSB in the election.
“We sincerely hope that our Prime Minister will give due consideration and serious thoughts to the Sarawak-based parties like PRS in order to represent the voices of rural people in a true unity government,” Snowdan concluded. — DayakDaily
