PDP wants all three state seats taken by PBB back
KUCHING: Progressive Democratic Party ( PDP) has got ready three candidates to wrest the state seats of Batu Danau, Bekenu and Pakan which were taken over by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu ( PBB) during the 11th state election in 2016.
Party president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing wants all these seats returned to PDP.
“I have tabled this decision and we stand by our decisions,” he said at the PDP New Year and Media Night here on Saturday.
These three seats are currently held by Tan Sri William Mawan ( Pakan), Paulus Palu Ngumbang ( Batu Danau) and Rosey Yunus ( Bekenu).
Currently, PDP has three state assemblymen - Dato Henry Jinep ( Tasik Biru), Roland Duat ( Meluan) and Datu Dr Penguang Manggil ( Marudi).
Prior to the PDP Media Night, Tiong had said PDP secretarygeneral Datuk Nelson Balang Rining would face Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) chairman Baru Bian in Ba Kelalan.
Nelson had held the seat after winning the by- election in 2004 and state election in 2006.
Meanwhile, Baru, who is also PKR Sarawak chairman and Works Minister, has served the constituency for two terms since the state election in 2011.
Tiong believes that Nelson is the best candidate to take back the PDP seat.
PDP was formerly known as Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party ( SPDP).
“Nelson is the best candidate and I agree for him to represent the party in the Ba Kelalan seat in the 12th state election which will be held in 2021.”
“To win the seat, he must start working and go to the ground to meet the grassroots people.”
When asked on his preparation to contest against Baru, Nelson said that he was ready as he had started going to the ground to meet the people and believed that PDP had a chance to take back the seat from PKR.
“Ba Kelalan has around 200 residential areas and I have trusted supporters. But there are areas that we cannot penetrate because they have become PKR stronghold.”
In the 2011 state election, Nelson did not defend the seat to give way to new candidate Willie Liau who subsequently lost the seat to Baru.
In the 2016 election, Willie was chosen as the candidate again but again lost to Baru who won with a majority of 538 votes.
In his speech, Tiong thanked the media and hoped to continue working closely with them.
At the event, he sang a few songs and went table to table to mingle with the attendees.
More than 100 media practitioners attended the event themed ‘ Masquerade', with AirAsia as its sponsor for lucky draw.
Guests were treated to a buffet dinner and lucky draw offering electrical goods, air purifier, motor oil and flight tickets as prizes.
Present were Assistant Minister of Local Government Datu Dr Penguang Manggil and AirAsia head of government communication Hamdan Mohamad.