Wong Ching Yong
SIBU: Wong Ching Yong considers his appointment as the new deputy chairman of Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC as ‘a challenging task’.
According to him, SRDC covers a vast area that includes Bukit Assek, Dudong, Bawang Assan, Tamin, Nangka and Kakus state constituencies, where there are more than 500 longhouses.
Wong, who is also Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Dudong branch chairman, however, says the appointment would give him the opportunity to serve the people outside Dudong constituency.
“Because I am the chairman of SUPP Dudong branch, my activities in the rural areas are confined to the Dudong constituency.
“Now, I cannot confine my activities to Dudong area – I have to work together with the SRDC chairman to address the issues affecting SRDC areas,” he said in an interview recently, adding that he had no problem working with SRDC chairman Sempurai Petrus Ngelai as they were friends.
According to him, one of the issues that he would focus on would be public health.
He said based on his experience in Dudong, there were still many longhouses that had no piped water supply, which could reduce occurrences of many diseases, especially round worms.
Moreover, longhouses with piped water supply would often experienced low water pressure, he observed.
He also hoped to be able to light up every longhouse under SRDC jurisdiction.
He also said he would pay courtesy call on Sempurai and meet up with heads of departments to have better understanding about the issues in SRDC areas.
“I was a Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) councillor from 1990 to 2000. After that, I have not held any government position, so there is a lot of catching up to do,” he said.
He also said Sempurai and he were very concerned about corruption.
“Both of us are of the same view that all SRDC councillors must not be involved in any form of tender of either public works or procurements of supplies,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wong said his appointment as SRDC deputy chairman came as a surprise as no one had mentioned to him about the recommendation.
“My party president only asked for my curriculum vitae – I thought it was for Dudong candidacy. The party never officially told me that my name was submitted.
“I never heard of anything until July 16 when SUPP secretary- general Datuk Sebastian Ting told me that the Cabinet had approved my appointment as SRDC deputy chairman,” he said.
Wong also said the appointment was ‘an illustration of confidence from the Chief Minister towards SUPP’.
Wong joined SUPP in 1985. From 1987 to 2000, he served as deputy publicity officer for SUPP Sibu.
In 2017, he became the SUPP Dudong chairman.
Wong is now SUPP central working committee member.