New MPP chairman

New MPP chairman maybe known after by-election’

April 18, 2010, Sunday

KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) vice-president Datuk Yong Khoon Seng believes the announcement of the new Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman will be made after the Sibu by-election.

Datuk Yong Khoon Seng

He is also confident the best candidate who can serve the interests of everyone, regardless of ethnic group, will be chosen for the post.

He also calls for a stop to lobbying using racial cards by certain groups for the top post in the council.

“For that post (MPP chairman), we will choose a leader who can work for the people.

“We don’t look at a person’s racial group,” he told reporters after closing the Children’s Potential Day of the Community Development Department (Kemas) for Stampin parliamentary constituency here.

The seat was left vacant after its previous chairman Tan Joo Phoi was appointed as Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department effective April 2.

Since late last month, several groups have been lobbying for their men to fill the post.

The most vocal were the Bidayuhs, who wanted to see the first Bidayuh MPP chairman since the MPP covers a lot of Bidayuh villages.

Yong, who is also Deputy Minister of Works and Stampin Member of Parliament, also believed that SUPP would be able to retain the Sibu seat for the Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming by-election.

“BN is ready for the Sibu by-election and all preparations are progressing well,” he added.

The nomination day for the by-election is May 8, and polling is on May 16.

( sumber: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=24575 )