Let all PDP incumbents defend their seats, GPS urged

2026-03-18 - 14:40

Fellow GPS component SUPP is eyeing three of PDP seats currently held (from left) by party president Tiong King Sing, senior vice-president Wong Soon Koh and vice-president Johnical Rayong Ngipa. PETALING JAYA: A Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) division has urged Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to allow all of the party’s incumbents to defend their seats in the next state assembly election. Batu Lintang PDP chief Stephen Ang said this was among the resolutions approved at the division’s recent triennial general assembly, Borneo Post reported. Ang said the division will mobilise its entire machinery to ensure PDP’s candidates win their contest in the next state polls. This comes amid a tussle between PDP and fellow GPS component, the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), over several seats, including the Dudong seat currently held by PDP president Tiong King Sing. Tiong and SUPP president Dr Sim Kui Hian have been feuding since the 2021 state polls when GPS named Tiong as its candidate for the Dudong seat. SUPP had held the constituency for decades up until then, with a “shocked” Sim protesting that Tiong’s candidacy was not what was agreed upon. PDP later gained the Bawang Assan, Engkilili and Ba’kelalan seats through Wong Soon Koh, Johnical Rayong Ngipa and Baru Bian, who joined PDP after it absorbed their former party, Parti Sarawak Bersatu. Bawang Assan and Engkilili are also being eyed by SUPP, having also held both seats in the past through Wong and Rayong, who were formerly with SUPP.