Saturday March 2, 2013
SWP confirms Lagong’s candidacy for Hulu Rajang
KUCHING: The Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) has announced that its vice-president George Lagong, who is also Pelagus assemblyman, will contest in Hulu Rejang in the general election, confirming months of speculation about his candidacy.
His candidacy was announced by SWP president Larry Sng at about 10am yesterday on the latter’s Facebook page.
The polls will be Lagong’s second attempt at Hulu Rajang.
In 2008, he stood as an independent candidate and was defeated by Datuk Billy Abit Joo, a PRS vice-president.
Abit polled 6,580 votes to defeat Lagong by a 2,164-vote majority, giving the latter his fifth term as Hulu Rajang MP.
Masing, when asked for his reaction to Lagong’s candidacy, said: “When George Lagong stood in Hulu Rajang in 2008, he was an unknown figure. Now he is a known personality and YB for Pelagus.
“Let the voters be the judge of his performance as YB for Pelagus. Whether he does well or not, I’m sure the people of Pelagus will transmit the information to voters of Hulu Rajang. Let the voters decide, after all this is a free country. Anyone can contest.”
It is still unclear who will be picked from PRS to contest in Hulu Rajang on the Barisan ticket.
While the party leadership has decided to retire Abit and chosen Masing’s private secretary Wilson Ugak Kumbong to contest there for the first time, Abit has maintained that he is still the winnable candidate.
With Lagong now in the fray, it is very likely that there will be a three-cornered fight for Hulu Rajang — the largest parliamentary constituency in the country.
It has been rumoured that PKR will be nominating lawyer Abun Sui, a Kenyah, for the seat.
SWP recently caused quite a stir when, according to party sources, it was planning to contest in Stampin and Bandar Kuching too.
Soon after the party was set up, Sng had declared that it would contest only in PRS seats to rid the state of the party but it now appears to be marching to a different beat.
In any case, Lagong is the second SWP candidate to be officially named.
In January, Sng announced that Meluan assemblyman Wong Judat, a former SPDP supreme council member, would contest in Julau.
The seat is currently represented by PRS vice-president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, who is the Information, Communications, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister.
Sng, who was sacked from PRS for insubordination before setting up SWP, is rumoured to be eyeing Lubok Antu in the polls.
The party is expected to name all its candidates next week. Lubok Antu is currently held by PRS first-time MP Masir Kujat.
- Blind student successfully crosses Penang channel
- Karpal tells Tunku Aziz to cease attacks on DAP
- Government to maintain food subsidies
- All eyes on Najib’s new Cabinet
- Hundreds train attention on spreading awareness on AIDS
- Hills in Cameron Highlands ‘raped’ at an alarming rate
- Gunung Perdah ravaged for development and left exposed
- Kedah to freeze logging activities pending review
- Expert: Be very sure you need a mastectomy
- Blind man wants to raise awareness on retinal diseases
- Student activist Adam Adli arrested over his remarks at May 13 forum
- My teacher, my friend
- Tee’s appointment had nothing to do with Umno, says Khaled
- Home garden talk a hit with Malaysians
- Karpal: Abolish the Senate
- Adrian Cheng: updating a Hong Kong family empire for a changing China
- Wall Street Week Ahead: Correction talk gets old as rally sails along
- China April housing inflation quickens to two year high
- EU cites Chinese telecoms Huawei and ZTE for trade violations
- Yahoo to vote on $1.1 billion Tumblr buy: AllThingsD
- Dow, S&P end at records, stocks mark fourth week of gains
- CEO: Catcha Media won’t be taken private - for now
- Sarawak politically-linked stocks rally
- Jala: GST could add up to RM27b to country’s income
- Analysts say UMW Holdings’ O&G offering was widely anticipated
- Matrix Concepts’ IPO oversubscribed by 11.3 times
- Instacom wins RM200m job?
- SFSS set to be largest shareholder of Bintulu Port
- Northport buys two new quay cranes
- Bursa Malaysia closes on Friday
- Swimming: Phelps throws cold water on comeback report
- Golf: Choi edges sizzling Nordqvist for LPGA lead
- The missing link
- Khairy to look into matters after review
- Kevin smashes 400m freestyle national record to take gold
- Rizzua set to be the next big thing to come from Sarawak
- Shahidatun is leaps and bounds ahead of her rivals
- James claims victory over rivals in Shanghai
- Chong Wei continues to stay focused despite all the changes
- Apacs extend Chun Seang’s contract for another year
- Denmark’s Hoyer is new president of the BWF
- Indonesian coach: Individual sponsorship will revive our shuttlers’ fortunes
- Kumar: Pakistani players are livewire of KLHC
- Training for young goalkeepers
- Izwan steers Sapura to third place
- Security guards 'chopped up like meat' at Cheras condo
- Hills in Cameron Highlands ‘raped’ at an alarming rate
- Be wary of banking Trojans
- Retract your statement, Guan Eng urges Zahid
- Pakatan ceramah held at Esplanade despite police not approving permit
- Five men assault friend at Johor police station
- Bring back English schools
- Student activist Adam Adli arrested over his remarks at May 13 forum
- Tee’s appointment had nothing to do with Umno, says Khaled
- Karpal: Abolish the Senate
- Be wary of banking Trojans
- Security guards 'chopped up like meat' at Cheras condo
- My home, my school
- Expert: Be very sure you need a mastectomy
- Blind man wants to raise awareness on retinal diseases
- Bring back English schools
- Bring back English schools
- Home garden talk a hit with Malaysians
- Pakatan ceramah held at Esplanade despite police not approving permit
- Six new Perak exco members sworn in
RSS
