Dr Roland chides Tiong over call for Baru to resign
MIRI: A former member and senior vice president of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) Dr Roland Dom Mattu takes to task his former party president Dato Seri Tiong King Sing for asking Works Minister Baru Bian to resign.
He said he was taken aback by Tiong’s outburst against the Works Minister over the implementation of the Pan Borneo Highway project.
Dr Roland added that Baru’s resignation would be a great disservice to the Orang Ulu community.
“Give him (Baru) a chance as he is doing his best for the community, trying his best to make the road go through Orang Ulu country with Sabah-Sarawak link road which Tiong did not even mention.
“Tiong should remember that the Orang Ulu community leaders had supported him in the past and were together with him as founding members of SPDP back then, “he said.
SPDP has been rebranded as PDP in October 2016.
Dr Roland, a Kelabit from Bario, resigned from the party to contest as an independent candidate in the last state election against Dato Gerawat Gala, a BN-direct candidate who later joined PBB, PKR’s Paul Baya and DAP’s Paul Raja in a four-corner fight in the new Mulu seat in 2016.
He resigned in protest against the new seat being given to a direct BN candidate (Datuk Gerawat Gala) instead of SPDP as the seat is under the parliamentary seat of Baram, and its MP AnyiNgau is from SPDP.
Dr Roland was an obstetrician and gynaecologist and chief of medical services of Columbia Asia Hospital-Miri then.
“I am still partyless but I am really disappointed that my former party president asked an Orang Ulu minister to resign,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Tiong recently railed against Baru for what he regarded as JKR’s neglect in supervising the road works and maintenance.