Andrew (seated, second right) joins other PSB Bawang Assan Bumiputera Unit committee members in a group photo taken at the party’s branch premises.
SIBU: A Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) man has defended party president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh against allegations made during an event last year, about the latter having failed to develop Bawang Assan throughout his 30 years as its assemblyman.
Andrew Shiling, who is PSB Bawang Assan Bumiputera Unit chairman, called the accusations ‘baseless and without merit’.
“Soon Koh has done a lot compared to others, though it may not be 100 per cent. He may be a former second finance minister, but he still has to get funding and approval from the Chief Minister and other Cabinet members,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Andrew was referring to attacks hurled against Wong during a solidarity night event hosted by Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) at a longhouse in Bawang Assan last July.
He claimed that during the event, PBB Bawang Assan members had made personal attacks against Wong in their speeches as well as on social media, while also calling for their branch chairman Romeo Christopher Tegong to be fielded in Bawang Assan in the next state election.
“However, Romeo later denied eyeing the candidacy for Bawang Assan,” said Andrew, referring to a news report on March 2 in which Romeo stated that he had never declared his intention to contest in the constituency.
He added that it was his belief that Wong’s contributions in Bawang Assan had earned him the respect and support of the grassroots in the constituency.
On a separate matter, Andrew claimed to have received complaints from longhouse folk that village chieftains who had yet to receive their official appointment letters were asked to become PBB members first in order to be eligible for reappointment.
“Indeed, some longhouses with less than 20-doors got their ‘ketua kaum’. They have no choice. Moreover, the longhouse people are also being enticed with goodies like Minor Rural Project funds, Rural Transformation Programme funds and other projects,” he alleged.
Andrew also called upon Sibu Resident and Sibu District Officer to expedite the appointment or term extensions of all community leaders in Bawang Assan constituency, along with the three vacant Penghulu posts in Sibu District.