Sibu is no ‘witch’, leave its name alone — MP

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SIBU: Sibu MP Wong Ho Leng is against changing the name of Sibu town.

ATTENTIVE: Wong (left) listens as David Wong (right) explains the use of Abate to the residents in Huo Ping Road.

ATTENTIVE: Wong (left) listens as David Wong (right) explains the use of Abate to the residents in Huo Ping Road.

“There is no reason for the town’s name to be changed. There is nothing wrong with it. It is fine as it is and it does not carry any negative connotations,” he said.

Wong, who is also Bukit Assek assemblyman, made this comment when met at the DAP office in Chiew Siik Hiong Lane yesterday.

He later left for an anti-dengue campaign in several areas.

Recently, United Chinese Association (UCA) president Datuk Lau Nai Hoh said during a dinner organised to celebrate the success of the 9th Borneo Cultural Festival (BCF) that the Chinese name for Sibu should be changed.

Lau was reported in a Chinese daily as having said that Sibu was known as ‘Shi Wu’ in Chinese, but the problem is that ‘wu’ means ‘witch’ in Chinese.

He also noted that Sibu was often confused with Cebu, a city in the Philippines.

For this purpose (name change), Lau said UCA would organise a competition that offers attractive prizes.

It was also reported that Lau said he had discussed with Sibu Barisan Nasional (BN) Visionary Team leader Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and other leaders over the matter.

Ho Leng, who is also the state DAP chairman, has his own reasons for opposing the name change.

He said: “Many attempts had been made in the past to change the name of Sibu, but it never proceeded.”

The name Sibu, he pointed out, has been around since the late Wong Nai Siong era more than a hundred years ago.

“Please respect the name given by our ancestors. The fengshui of Sibu is very good. There is no need to change the Chinese name.

“If they said Sibu is always confused with Cebu, that means our Tourism Ministry has failed in promoting Sibu,” he said.

Meanwhile, joining the anti-dengue campaign yesterday were DAP Sibu publicity chief David Wong, Sibu branch youth chief Stephen Lu, Wong’s special assistants Paul Ling and Oscar Ling.

They gave out free Abate (anti aedes larvae poison) and handouts on mosquito-borne diseases to the residents.