Clarence Ting: Opposition reps have failed Sibu
SIBU: The Sibu parliamentary constituency has fallen behind in development due to it being in opposition hands, said Clarence Ting.
The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate for the seat claimed Sibu folk have suffered the most because Sibu’s opposition elected representatives have failed to bring further development to the town.
“There are many things we can do for Sibu, it all boils down to whether they are willing or commi ed to do it or not. I am willing to serve and I am commi ed to it,” he said during a GPS ceramah here Tuesday night.
He is facing off with incumbent Oscar Ling from Democratic Action Party and Parti Sarawak Bersatu’s Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh in a three-cornered fight for the constituency.
Ting said he had heard a lot about Sibu being a town without much progress compared to Bintulu, which is also in Sarawak’s central region and under GPS.
He said if elected on Saturday, he would be honoured to serve Sibu folk by bringing more development to the town.
According to the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Pelawan chairman, he has covered most areas under the Sibu parliamentary constituency during this election campaign.
Ting also briefly shared about his tenure as Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) deputy chairman, which ended on June 30, 2013.
“My term of office expired on June 30 but (then minister in-charge) Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh requested me to serve for another half a year. I turned it down. I did not resign.
“Our party (SUPP) was divided during that time. As the SRDC deputy chairman, I served the people well. But when the party was split, it was meaningless for me to continue.
“I served nine and a half years as the SRDC deputy chairman, so I decided it was time to let others take over. Everyone knows what happened to SUPP during the 2013 to 2014 period,” he recalled.
The Sibu parliamentary seat was an SUPP stronghold until the 2010 by-election following the demise of Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew, who held the seat for five terms.
In that by-election, the late Wong Ho Leng from DAP won the seat.
Ling has since held Sibu for two terms.