STAYING TOGETHER: Stanley (fourth left front row) flanked by the new office bearers after the party’s 17th Trienniel General Assembly. Also seen is former president Edwin Dundang (third right front row).
KUCHING: Sarawak National Party (SNAP) immediately put things in motion after the election of Edmund Stanley Jugol as its new president by reaching out to 32 divisions across the state in a bid to strengthen its numbers.
Stanley is now SNAP’s sixth president after winning uncontested during the party’s 17th Triennial General Assembly (TGA) held at its headquarters yesterday.
He took over from his predecessor Edwin Dundang Bugak who held office since May 18, 2003.
Setting the party’s vision, Stanley hopes to gather more members, especially in selected divisions.
“We will start the formation of a division committee whose duties are to gather new members as we cannot rely on the old list of members due to the party’s split a couple of times,” said Stanley in his first press conference at their headquarters yesterday.
He also said that the 32 divisions were selected based on the party’s confidence to do well during the elections.
Touching on the upcoming parliamentary election, Jugol mentioned that their success would be heavily dependent on their resources, financial strength and ground support.
On the new party line-up, Stanley said that he was blessed to be able to work with a good team made up of a mixed array of experienced and qualified individuals from all races.
“I will carry out my work with the team and decisions will be made on a collective manner,” said Jugol, who also emphasised good communication among all the committees in each division.
He also said the party would launch its road shows once the ground machinery was established.
Acting as a lone ranger during last year’s state election when neither Barisan Nasional (BN) nor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) gave them support, Jugol enthused that SNAP would continue on to fight for Sarawakians with or without the two giant parties.
“We will genuinely fight and defend the people of Sarawak,” he said, stressing that SNAP was one of the two local and original parties born in Sarawak.
He however did not dismiss the possibility that one day SNAP would join hands with either BN or PR.
“There will be a time when we reach that stage, for now we have to focus on strengthening the party,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Kebing Wan was elected deputy president, Johnny Wong Sie Lee (senior vice president) and its vice presidents are Frankie Jurem Nyombui, Dayrell Walter Entrie, Anthony Liman Sujang, Dan Gaing and Roland Teo Yuk Tong.
The vice-president for the youth wing is Malachi Dennis Ningkan while the vice president for the women wing is Melissa Anne Inddu.
Appointed vice presidents are Augustine Liom and Othman Gom.
The appointed secretary general is Frankie Jurem Nyombui, deputy secretary general Paul Kadang Dinggat, treasurer general Datuk Seri Paduka Dennis Chang Foh Onn and deputy treasurer general is Entalai Munan.
The assistant secretary general and organising secretary is Lucius Jimbon, publicity officer Lawrence Cosmas Sunang, financial officer Semijie Janting and assistant treasurer general is Dr Ambrose Labang.
The TGA also saw the sitting of the national council meeting where Jugol was elected as the chairman of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) together with Kebing Wan as his deputy.
The vice chairman for the CEC is Johnny Wong Sie Lee, Frankie Jurem Nyumboi(secretary) and treasurer is Datuk Seri Paduka Dennis Chang Foh Onn.
Elected members are Dayrell Walter Entrie, Anthony Liman Sujang, Dan Gaing, Roland Teo Yuk Tong, Malachi Dennis Ningkan and Melissa Anne Riddu.
Appointed members are Dato Sri Daniel Tajem, Edwin Dundang Bugak, Semijie Janting, Othman Gom, Corriene Ambrose Labang, Paul Kadang and Augustine Liom.