Not impossible to wrest Ba Kelalan from PKR – PDP sec-gen

KU CHIN G: Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) secretary general Datuk Nelson Balang Rining does not dismiss the possibility that the party might be able to wrest Ba Kelalan seat from Parti Keadilan Rakyat ( PKR).

However, he pointed out that the only way to achieve that objective is for the party to puts its heart and mind to it and work hard on the ground.

“Nothing is impossible if we work hard on the ground,” he told a press conference at the party’s headquarters here yesterday.

He was asked to comment on whether PDP can win back Ba Kelalan in the next state election, having lost the seat twice to state PKR chairman Baru Bian in the 2011 and 2016 state elections.

Asked if he would be able to win Ba Kelalan should he be given the opportunity to contest in the 12th state election, the former Ba Kelalan assemblyman said it all depended on the support from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leadership as well as people on the ground.

Though he acknowledged that the state constituency is now a Pakatan Harapan (PH) stronghold, his previous encounters with its current incumbent saw him winning the seat twice.

“Baru Bian first contested against me in the Ba Kelalan byelection in 2004 and again in the state election in 2006. He lost on both occasions,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked for the rationale behind the swapping of party positions between himself and former Mas Gading MP Datuk Anthony Nogeh Gumbek who is now PDP deputy president, Nelson explained that the decision was from party president Dato Sri Tiong King Sing who “wants it according to seniority in the party”.

However, when pointed out that the party’s three state elected representatives; namely Dato Henry Harry Jinep ( Tasik Biru), Datu Dr Penguang Manggil ( Marudi) and Roland Duat Jubin ( Meluan) were only appointed as vice presidents, he sidestepped the question by saying that the top posts were based on seniority in the party.

“Senator Datuk Paul Igai and Baram MP Anyi Ngau are senior vice presidents and the rest of the state elected representatives are vice presidents.”