Larry Sng new chairman of Malaysian Pepper Board

KUCHING: First-term Julau MP Larry Sng has been appointed as the new chairman of Malaysian Pepper Board ( MPB), replacing former Saratok MP Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom.

MPB, in its official website updated on Thursday (Aug 2), has put Sng’s name on top of the list of its board members as chairman.

Sng, however, was not available for comments as of press time yesterday. MPB director general Dr Harry Entebang, when contacted, said an official statement on the appointment will be issued accordingly soon.

The 39-year- old Sng joined Parti Keadilan Rakyat ( PKR) shortly after winning the Julau seat as an independent in the recent 14th General Election on May 9. He defeated the incumbent from Barisan Nasional ( BN), Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, by 1,931vote majority in a straight fight.

Sng was once Pelagus assemblyman from 2001 to 2011 under BN ticket, firstly when he was in now- defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak ( PBDS) and then its predecessor Parti Rakyat Sarawak ( PRS).

The appointment as MPB chairman is another feather in the cap for Sng, who started his political career in BN. He once held the post of assistant minister with three portfolios; namely in charge of industrial development ( planning), chief minister’s office ( economic planning) and youth (training) from 2004 to 2011.

He was partyless from 2007 until 2013 when he was sacked from PRS in 2007 for insubordination. Despite being partyless that time, he was appointed Youth Advisor in the Chief Minister’s Department.

He assumed the post as president of Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) in 2013 and contested in Lubok Antu in the general election that year. He resigned from the party three years later.

This year, he made the move to contest in Julau, the only seat which Pakatan Harapan ( PH) parties did not contest to pave way for a one-to- one fight between Sng and Salang.

Together with Lubok Antu MP Jugah Muyang who also won as independent, he crossed over to PH by joining PKR just days after the GE14.

Meanwhile, based on the updated line- up of MPB board members, there were also notable appointments to the board; namely in the persons of Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii from DAP and DAP Katibas chairman Paren Nyawi.

Deputy State Secretary Datu Jaul Samion and Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Ministry official Churchill Lawi are also board members of MPB, which was established in 2007 to replace Pepper Marketing Board.