Ting (seventh right) cuts the anniversary cake and joined from (fifth right) Lau, Sempurai, Tiang (right) and others.
SIBU: Newly-minted Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting Ing Horth sees uphill task to make the riverine town more vibrant, which have been labelled as an ‘old’ and ‘tired’ town.
He, however, was quick to point out that with the support of everybody, this task is achievable.
“But I have to work very hard because they all say Sibu is very ‘old’. Sibu needs development. I have an uphill task, I want to tell all of you.
“But I think with the help of all the councillors (this task can be done). Anyway, I don’t think I can do it myself. I need all the support (from the councillors); I need Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) – working together (with me) and I also need Member of Parliament for Sibu (Oscar Ling) as well to work together to make Sibu a better place (to live and work). And this what I have to do,” he said at Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Pelawan branch’s fifth anniversary and SUPP’s 60th anniversary gala dinner here last night.
Also present were SUPP Bawang Assan chairman and Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) deputy chairman councillor Robert Lau, PRS Dudong branch and SRDC chairman Sempurai Petrus Ngelai as well as representatives from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
Earlier, Ting said the state cabinet had approved two new appointments from SUPP as well as a city mayor and municipal chairman.
“Our Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg reminded me, that all these positions are given to SUPP so that GPS would be rightly placed come the next state election.
“In another words, all the recently appointees must work for the people, let the people know we are with them, let the people know self benefit is unacceptable and let them know we are for Sarawak,” he added.
On Aug 22, Abang Johari announced Ting’s appointment in Kuching.
The other appointment announced by Abang Johari being that of Datuk Wee Hong Seng is the new mayor of Kuching South City Council (MBKS).
For the record, the 60-year-old Ting is no newcomer to the local authority having served in SRDC as deputy chairman between 2004 and 2013.
He is also Rajang Port Authority (RPA) chairman.
He received his early education in SMK Methodist and graduated from York University, Toronto, Canada.
He is also actively involved in Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and is the Sarawak Society for the Blind (SSB) Sibu Division chairman and is the vice-chairman at state-level.
He is also a member in the board of directors for SMK Kwong Hua.
In politics, he joined SUPP in the 1980s and currently is the party’s Pelawan branch chairman.
In business, Ting is managing director of Tanahmas Hotel in Sibu. He is also director of Pansar Berhad, Sebuyau Holdings Bhd and Sin Hua Service Sdn Bhd; chairman of Moulin Holdings Sdn Bhd; and managing director of Tebor Sdn Bhd and Ting Ming Hoi Enterprise.
Event organising chairman Michael Tiang, who is a political secretary to chief minister, also spoke at the function.