SIBU – Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh and two senior leaders of the now-dissolved Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) have taken up top positions in the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP), it was announced yesterday.
PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who is also Bintulu MP, said the appointment of Wong, the former PSB president and Bawang Assan assemblyman, as well as his deputy Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa and secretary-general Baru Bian as PDP vice-presidents were finalised at the party’s Supreme Council meeting here yesterday.
“The appointment of Wong as senior vice-president at today’s PDP Supreme Council meeting is done according to the party’s constitution, after taking into account his extensive experience,” he said during a dinner reception to welcome former leaders and members of PSB into PDP here last night.
Tiong, who is also Dudong assemblyman, said the positions of other former PSB leaders in PDP would be determined at a special general meeting to be held later.
Wong later confirmed in his speech that the Registrar of Societies (ROS) had approved PSB’s application to dissolve the party on March 19.
In his speech, Tiong, who is also the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister, urged all PDP members to accept the former leaders and members of PSB as part of one big family serving the development of Sarawak and the future of its people, regardless of race and religion.
He expressed delight over their entry into the party, after securing the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leadership’s approval under state premier, Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Besides PDP, the component parties in GPS also include the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).
With this development, GPS now holds 80 out of 82 seats in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly.
In his speech, Wong said considering the current political scenario, the people need a strong government at both the federal and state levels.
“We therefore have decided to support the federal Madani government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Sarawak’s government under Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg,” he said.
According to Wong, PSB was dissolved following a Special Delegates’ Conference on Feb 17, with the dissolution application submitted to the ROS on March 11.
“We received the approval (from ROS) on March 19,” he added. – April 7, 2024