Kho Teck Wan
KUCHING: A Kuching City South Council (MBKS) councillor has revealed that there is intense lobbying for the mayor’s post with the term of the current mayor, Dato James Chan, expiring on Aug 31.
Kho Teck Wan, a councillor from the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), said there was much interest in the post but she did not know who the candidate was or if one had been identified to succeed Chan, who was appointed on June 1, 2008.
“Knowing so many had lobbied or inquired about the mayorship, I am sure my party president (Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian) is bombarded by so many questions.
“Therefore I thought the best thing to do is to leave him and CM (Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) to decide and don’t interfere or ask any questions at all. One less person to bother them,” she told The Borneo Post today.
The MBKS mayor’s post was held by politicians nominated by SUPP until 2006, when former Natural Resource and Environment Board controller, the late Chong Ted Tsiung, was appointed as mayor.
Chong was succeeded by Chan, who was the general manager of a subsidiary of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation. Chan’s term was due to expire on Dec 31 last year but was extended.
At an event earlier, Kho was asked to comment about the new councillors’ list for the coming new term.
She said all the councillors have been notified on their appointments or reappointments, with the swearing-in ceremony to take place on Wednesday.
“There are 32 of us in MBKS. Mostly are reappointments. There are very little new faces. I didn’t count them. They are less than 10, I think,” she said.
Kho is among those who were reappointed as councillors, following the expiry of the previous term on June 30.
The new list of councillors for the 24 local councils throughout Sarawak was endorsed by Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud last week.
There are 318 new faces out of the 765 councillors in the list.
Kho was representing Chan at the International Day of Yoga held in front of MBKS building.