KUCHING, April 19 — Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) Youth leader Datuk Snowdan Lawan today said acting president Datuk Joseph Salang should be confirmed to the post while he should also be returned unopposed at the party’s triennial delegates meeting (TDM) this week.
He said the supreme council had decided that there should not be any contest for all the key posts in the party in the TDM to be held from April 21 to 24.
“By right, we must respect the decision of the supreme council for the key posts to be uncontested,” Snowdan, who is also Balai Ringin assemblyman and deputy minister of tourism, creative industry and performing arts told Malay Mail.
He said the supreme council is the highest decision-making body in the party in accordance with the party constitution.
He said he believed that Murum assemblyman Chupkai Ugon had submitted his nomination paper to contest for the Youth chief position.
PRS information chief Christopher Gira earlier today confirmed that PRS vice president Datuk John Sikie Tayai, who is also the minister in the Premier’s Department, had also submitted his nomination form to challenge Salang for the president’s post.
Snowdan said it is up to the party’s credential committee to decide on the final list of candidates for posts of president, deputy president, vice presidents, supreme council and those of the Youth and Women’s wings.
He said even though contesting for the party posts is a form of democracy, it does not look good if the leaders start to fight for positions.
“Since Tan Sri Dr James Masing (former president) is no longer around with the party and for the sake of the party, we should not quarrel over positions.
“Moreover, we have to think of the coming general election which could be held later this year. We have to concentrate our efforts to capture seats lost to the Opposition in the last general election,” Snowdan said.
He said it is not a problem if all posts are to be contested in the next TDM, “but for now, we must respect the decision of the supreme council.”
Efforts to contact Salang or PRS secretary-general Datuk Janang Bongsu for the final list of candidates have not been successful.
PRS Women chief Datuk Doris Brodie, however, has retained her post when she was the sole candidate submitted name for the post.
The nomination for all the posts closed on April 17.
PRS will hold its TDM in Sibu from April 21 to 24.
