PDP-SUPP row continues, this time over Sibu councillor's post
Sean Wong, the grandson of PDP senior vice-president Wong Soon Koh, was appointed a Sibu municipal councillor in April. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA : The row between two Gabungan Parti Sarawak allies has continued with the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) defending the appointment of senior vice-president Wong Soon Koh's grandson as a local councillor in Sibu.
Bawang Assan PDP chief Wong Hua said it was the party's right to nominate Sean Wong as a Sibu municipal councillor, fending off criticism from a Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) leader.
Wong Hua said SUPP should mind its own business instead of concerning itself with the affairs of other parties, the Borneo Post reported.
'If you are questioning why Sean was recommended by our party, then all I can say is thank you very much for your concern. When SUPP recommended its councillors, PDP never commented on the appointments,' he said.
He was responding to Dudong SUPP Youth chief Yiing Sy Huat, who is also a Sibu councillor, who questioned Sean's appointment to the post.
Sean is the grandson of Bawang Assan assemblyman Soon Koh, the former state finance minister II who has had an ongoing conflict with SUPP since he was sacked from the party in 2014.
Not long ago, Soon Koh was the Parti Sarawak Bersatu president as well as the opposition leader. However, the party was dissolved when he and other members joined PDP en bloc.
Sean was appointed a Sibu municipal councillor in April.
Wong Hua urged Yiing to focus on his job as a councillor instead of politicking, saying their energy should be spent on serving the public and developing the local community instead of meaningless arguments and personal attacks.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
3 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
6 judges honoured with rare elevation ceremony in Penang
The six judges with presiding senior Justice Rozana Ali Yusoff after the elevation ceremony at the High Court in George Town. GEORGE TOWN : Six High Court judges were honoured at a rare judicial elevation ceremony here today, reviving a long-standing tradition with roots dating back over two centuries. Today's ceremony presided over by senior judge Justice Rozana Ali Yusoff was the first to honour six judges at once. They were: Quay Chew Soon, Anand Ponnudurai, Azizan Arshad, Kenneth Yoong Ken Chinson St James, Fathiyah Idris and Rofiah Mohamad. Penang Bar chair Gowri Subbaiyah said the elevation ceremony usually takes place only when judicial commissioners are confirmed as High Court judges, 'which usually takes two to three years'. However, some among the six judges had been confirmed over the past three years but had not been formally recognised. 'Since they are still serving here, we felt it was only right to include them,' she said. It is understood that the elevation ceremony was last held in 2017, when Justice Lim Chong Fong, now a judge at the Court of Appeal, was elevated to the High Court. After today's ceremony, Justice St James described his confirmation as both humbling and liberating. 'I'm beholden to no one now. Only to God, my oath, the Constitution, and the rule of law,' he said. Justice Quay said his time in Penang had been both challenging and rewarding. 'I've enjoyed the cases, especially the complex ones, as they test the mind. And I've enjoyed the food and the people even more,' he said, adding that Penang was 'the best station a judge could hope for'. Justice Fathiyah paid tribute to the senior lawyers who helped her grow when she was a sessions court judge in Ipoh. Justice Anand, best known for his work in employment law, said the variety of cases in Penang had pushed him to grow. 'I've had to learn Acts of Parliament I never knew existed. And it's been worth it,' he said. 'My guiding rule is simple. I must be honest with myself. If I sign a judgment, it's because I believe it's the right decision.' The elevation ceremony is believed to have its beginnings in 1808 when the colonial settlement received its charter of justice, which led to the founding of the first formal court. Elevation ceremonies used to include a procession where judges would walk in full regalia from St George's Church to the court building. Although public processions are no longer held, the 'ceremonial spirit lives on', according to lawyer T Tharumarajah, who said the ceremony is aimed at introducing new judges to the public. It also serves as a bridge between the bar and the bench. He said: 'Judges and lawyers are meant to engage (with one another), not keep apart. But after the scandals that rocked the judiciary in the early 2000s, that bond weakened. It shouldn't be that way.'
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Abang Jo to ‘table something' at special Sarawak assembly sitting
Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg is expected to table a bill at a special one-day sitting of the state assembly. PETALING JAYA : The Sarawak legislative assembly will convene on July 7 for a special one-day sitting, with state premier Abang Johari Openg expected to table a bill. The Borneo Post reported that a letter on the special sitting, which starts at 9am, has been sent to assemblymen, although the purpose was not disclosed. Sarawak deputy premier Dr Sim Kui Hian was also reticent about the agenda of the meeting when asked by reporters, saying simply that Abang Johari would be 'tabling something' on the day without elaborating further.
Free Malaysia Today
7 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Port Klang rep confident columbarium near mosque won't be built
Villagers protesting against the proposed columbarium project next to a mosque in Klang. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Port Klang assemblyman Azmizam Zaman Huri has expressed confidence that the Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) will reject a proposal to build a four-storey columbarium near the Kampung Raja Uda mosque in Klang. He said the developer had failed to present or justify the suitability of the project in a Malay-majority area, Bernama reported. Azmizam said the proposal was clearly unsuitable as the land zoning under the MBDK local plan up to 2035 specifies the proposed project site is meant to be 'a limited commercial area'. Today, he was present at a public hearing on the project attended by the residents, the developer and the town planning department. It was chaired by MBDK deputy mayor Zary Affendi Arif at the council's building in Klang. Azmizam, who led the residents in protesting against the proposal, said that under current laws, only 28 types of limited commercial activities were allowed in the area – none of which include the construction of a memorial or columbarium. He urged MBDK to give an assurance that no construction would be allowed at the proposed site unless official approval is obtained, in line with Section 19 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172). Kampung Raja Uda mosque nazir (administrator) Ismail Arsat voiced concern that the village's status as part of the royal city could be tarnished by the project. He said the iconic landmark and main attraction of the village, the Raja Uda mosque, could be marred if the columbarium is built just 83 metres from the mosque. MBDK said it would consider objections and proposals from both sides before referring the matter to the one-stop centre committee meeting on June 24 for an assessment.
