Anthony Nogeh
BAU: If the turn of events at the Barisan Nasional (BN) solidarity dinner at the Civic Centre here on Saturday is anything to go by, it is highly likely that Anthony Nogeh, 55, will contest in Mas Gading come the 13th general election.
The first sign that this Salcra deputy general manager would be picked by the BN was when he was named organising chairman for the SPDP-organised dinner.
He also gave a speech at the gathering in which the majority of the diners were Chinese.
The possibility became more convincing when, during the dinner, he accompanied SPDP deputy president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing to greet the 850 guests. The greet-and-meet session was perceived as “introducing” Nogeh to the Chinese community.
On April 7, The Borneo Post reported SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom as saying that only Nogeh and Henry Harry Jinep, 45, were in the running for Mas Gading.
He also hinted that whoever was not nominated this time around stood the chance to be picked to stand in Tasik Biru come the 11th state election (The 10th state election was held in April, 2011)
Prior to Mawan’s announcement, the other potential candidates were Henry’s brother William Jinep, who is the chief executive officer of Sarawak Rivers Board, Zecon general manager Rayan Narong, and DBNA president-cum-Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism Datu Ik Pahon Joyik.
“Nogeh is one of the potential candidates for Mas Gading. Regardless, we must rally behind our BN-SPDP candidate,” said Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP, when met by reporters during the meet-and-greet session.
In his speech, Tiong hoped that the people would support the SPDP candidate in the general election.
“The Chinese community in Mas Gading is not happy with their previous member of parliament. Many felt that the MP did not do his job. In 2008, Mawan had promised to change the MP if he did not improve, but, somehow, the situation did not change.
“This time around, we have the opportunity to make things right.”
The Mas Gading MP is Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe and the assemblyman for Tasik Biru is Datuk Peter Nasian. Both were sacked from SPDP together with three others recently for gross insubordination.
The other three are Datuk Slyvester Entri Muran (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau).
All five are now partyless, but they have pledged their loyalty to the BN.
Among others present at the dinner were Mawan, SPDP life president Datuk Peter Nyarok Entrie, and political secretaries to the chief minister Paul Igai, Liew Ah Lek, Peter Howell Jilan and Kijan Toynbee, and former Tasik Biru assemblyman Lee Nyan Choi and his son John Lee, who is a former political secretary-cum-businessman.