By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 26: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Dudong branch chairman Wong Ching Yong is backing Kevin Lau as a candidate for Bawang Assan in the coming 13th Sarawak election to reclaim one of the party’s traditional seats.
Wong said Bawang Assan could undergo significant development within five years if a young, energetic, and capable elected representative who understands local needs represents it.
In backing Lau, Wong cited the former’s grassroots experience, commitment to public service, and positive reception among residents from different ethnic communities.
As Lau was appointed a Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) councillor in 2023 and currently serves as chairman of its environment and public health standing committee, Wong said that Lau has gained valuable experience in local administration and a better understanding of the needs of rural communities, backed by his diligent and practical approach to public service, which also earned him praise from residents across different ethnic groups.
Speaking in his capacity as SRDC deputy chairman, Wong said he has received positive feedback about Lau from Chinese residents in rural areas, while many longhouse communities had also expressed their appreciation for his work.
“These endorsements from people of different ethnic backgrounds show that Kevin Lau is not only committed to getting things done but is also willing to engage with different communities,” he said in a statement.
Wong echoed SUPP Bawang Assan Youth chief Kapitan Chew Hoo Kiong’s confidence in the branch’s readiness for the coming Sarawak election, saying it had maintained its grassroots network and community service under both Senator Robert Lau and Kevin Lau despite changing political circumstances.
He noted that Bawang Assan covered part of Sibu town and surrounding rural areas, including the West Bank and Paradom, as well as numerous longhouses scattered along the Igan River, with the constituency extending as far as Matu District in Mukah Division.
“Notably, the West Bank and the areas from Sungai Assan to Paradom are relatively close to Sibu town. With proper planning, better infrastructure and an elected representative who actively seeks government funding and resources, these areas could see significant improvements within just a few years,” he said.
Wong added that Bawang Assan’s vast land resources have yet to fully translate into economic opportunities, and said greater access to investment, technology, and markets could boost agricultural productivity, expand production, create jobs, and stimulate the rural economy.
Meanwhile, Wong also drew on his own political experience to highlight the importance of protecting SUPP’s traditional seats. He said that at the very last moment before the candidates for the 2021 Sarawak election were announced, he had been denied the opportunity to contest.
Having experienced the situation firsthand, Wong said he understood the impact a last-minute change in traditional seat allocation could have on branch morale and grassroots confidence, and that such a move could also affect a party’s long-term development and political standing.
He stressed that losing a traditional seat was not merely a matter of individual political fortunes, but also concerned the party’s grassroots strength, credibility, and future.
Therefore, he expressed full confidence in SUPP president Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, saying he believed Dr Sim would do everything possible to safeguard the party’s traditional seats.
Wong also expressed confidence that the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leadership would recognise Lau’s sincerity, grassroots commitment, and record of service while considering Bawang Assan’s development needs.
The incumbent for Bawang Assan is Progressive Democratic Party’s (PDP) Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, who has been the elected representative for Bawang Assan for seven terms. He first contested the seat as a member of SUPP under the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition from 1991 to 2011.
By the 2016 Sarawak election, Soon Koh was already part of the United Peoples’ Party (UPP)—a splinter party of SUPP—and defended the seat as a BN direct candidate. Later, in the 2021 Sarawak election, he defended the Bawang Assan seat again under Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) as an opposition party after it rebranded from UPP.
After the party dissolved in 2024, the Bawang Assan seat went to PDP when Soon Koh joined the party. — DayakDaily
