Many Chinese included in Sarawak's PRS line-up
Tony ThienPublished: Jan 27, 2005 12:35 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
Newly launched Parti Rakyat Sarawak's (PRS) first supreme council has a large number of Chinese representation, indicating the party is clearly treading on a multi-racial path although most of its elected representatives are from predominantly Dayak constituencies.
It's a Dayak-based party with a substantial Chinese support, that is if the new supreme council set-up of Parti Rakyat Sarawak is any indication.
Newly launched Parti Rakyat Sarawak's (PRS) first supreme council has a large number of Chinese representation, indicating the party is clearly treading on a multi-racial path although most of its elected representatives are from predominantly Dayak constituencies.
This has raised questions as to whether the party would be bidding for one or two of the already limited number of elected Chinese seats, or whether some the existing predominantly Dayak seats will be yielded.
The party president is Dr James Masing, the state land development minister. His deputy businessman-politician Sng Chee Hua is said to control half of the present PRS' 30-member decision-making body, but the party president has the discretion to appoint or nominate four additional members to the supreme council.
The move to leave the appointment of the four nominated members to a later stage may be to allow their former erstwhile foes from the now defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) who remain 'partyless' (five elected representatives) an opportunity to join PRS if they choose to do so.
The party's information chief Wilfred Nissom told malaysiakini that Sng, a veteran politician who is known to have considerable pull in state politics, admitted that "Sng does look to be in control of half of the supreme council members."
Of the 30 SC members, at least 10 are non-Dayaks (Chinese), with several of them being related to Sng (photo) - like son Larry who is deputy secretary-general, deputy treasurer Sng Chee Beng and a well-known Kuching medical practitioner Dr Ong Lak Sai.
A surprise inclusion among the Chinese members is a former bank manager with an international bank CC Chong.
Nissom, who is a political secretary to the Chief Minister, said the party is trying to lobby for one or two additional seats out of the eight new state seats in the enlarged 70-member state assembly.
Decided by consensus
According to him, these are likely to be predominantly Dayak seats, indicating that for the party to field more Chinese candidates like Larry it would, in Nissom's words, have to be on the goodwill of the Dayaks.
Presently, supreme council members Ernest Chua and Dr Ong have been appointed councillors of Kuching City South Council.
The PRS line-up was decided several days on the basis of consensus before the party's inaugural assembly which was held last Sunday in Kuching. It was attended by about 700 delegates and observers.
The party's secretary-general is another veteran politician Sidi Munan, the former pro tem chairperson and a close associate of Chee Hua.
Five of the party's eight elected representatives filled up all the vice-president slots while another, Mong Dagang, is the youth chief.
PRS has won support to be a Barisan Nasional member but the party has not yet been formally admitted.
TONY THIEN is malaysiakini's Sarawak-based stringer.
This has raised questions as to whether the party would be bidding for one or two of the already limited number of elected Chinese seats, or whether some the existing predominantly Dayak seats will be yielded.
The party president is Dr James Masing, the state land development minister. His deputy businessman-politician Sng Chee Hua is said to control half of the present PRS' 30-member decision-making body, but the party president has the discretion to appoint or nominate four additional members to the supreme council. The move to leave the appointment of the four nominated members to a later stage may be to allow their former erstwhile foes from the now defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) who remain 'partyless' (five elected representatives) an opportunity to join PRS if they choose to do so.
The party's information chief Wilfred Nissom told malaysiakini that Sng, a veteran politician who is known to have considerable pull in state politics, admitted that "Sng does look to be in control of half of the supreme council members."
Of the 30 SC members, at least 10 are non-Dayaks (Chinese), with several of them being related to Sng (photo) - like son Larry who is deputy secretary-general, deputy treasurer Sng Chee Beng and a well-known Kuching medical practitioner Dr Ong Lak Sai. A surprise inclusion among the Chinese members is a former bank manager with an international bank CC Chong.
Nissom, who is a political secretary to the Chief Minister, said the party is trying to lobby for one or two additional seats out of the eight new state seats in the enlarged 70-member state assembly.
Decided by consensus
According to him, these are likely to be predominantly Dayak seats, indicating that for the party to field more Chinese candidates like Larry it would, in Nissom's words, have to be on the goodwill of the Dayaks.
Presently, supreme council members Ernest Chua and Dr Ong have been appointed councillors of Kuching City South Council.
The PRS line-up was decided several days on the basis of consensus before the party's inaugural assembly which was held last Sunday in Kuching. It was attended by about 700 delegates and observers.
The party's secretary-general is another veteran politician Sidi Munan, the former pro tem chairperson and a close associate of Chee Hua.
Five of the party's eight elected representatives filled up all the vice-president slots while another, Mong Dagang, is the youth chief.
PRS has won support to be a Barisan Nasional member but the party has not yet been formally admitted.
TONY THIEN is malaysiakini's Sarawak-based stringer.
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