Sng not keen on leading Sarawak PKR, will focus on Julau

Newly-elected PKR central leadership council (MPP) member Larry Sng (above) has played down speculation that he could be installed as the Sarawak PKR chairperson.

Sng, the only Sarawakian elected to the MPP last Sunday, said he preferred to focus on his new role and on being the Julau MP.

"As I have just won a position on the MPP, I plan to focus on this new role and ensure that I provide the necessary support to the top leadership of PKR, particularly the president (Anwar Ibrahim) in his efforts to strengthen the party and prepare himself for the prime ministership.

"For Sarawak, my plan is to focus on Julau," he told Malaysiakini when contacted today.

Sng, who joined PKR after the 14th general election, had previously been the president of the now-defunct Sarawak Workers' Party. He was also a member of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and a supreme council member of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS).

Between 2004 and 2011, he was an assistant minister in the Sarawak BN state government. 

With his extensive experience, he said he was thus not interested in gunning for party positions anymore.

"Frankly speaking, party positions mean little to me. What's most important is whether you are in a capacity to serve and whether you have the influence to implement change.

"[...] I acknowledge that there are other PKR leaders in Sarawak who are capable of being the state chairperson and I intend to work closely with them to ensure Julau's needs are also met and their voices are also heard," he said.

Unlike other states where the president appoints the chiefs, PKR constitution stipulates that Sarawak has the autonomy to choose its own.

Sarawak PKR party information chief Vernon Kedit previously criticised Sng for being "ignorant" after the latter said that Anwar had the prerogative to appoint the Sarawak state chief.

Anwar is unhappy

In a related development, Anwar reprimanded a journalist when asked about the appointment of the Sarawak PKR chief today.

"Kamu sibuk apasal? Apa masalah? (Why are you being so nosy? What is the problem?)

"Why do you not ask about the Selangor chief? Why not ask about Penang? Why not ask about Perlis?" the party president retorted when prodded after an event at Universiti Malaya.

He later calmed down and said all decisions were done in accordance to the party's constitution.

"We will follow the party constitution. But I think this is a non-issue, it has only been raised by the media and by one or two ordinary people," Anwar said.

The incumbent Sarawak PKR chief is Works Minister and Selangau MP Baru Bian, who did not contest for an MPP spot in the recent party polls.

Anwar had publicly reprimanded Baru for skipping the final day of the party's congress over the past weekend. Baru had explained that he had sought leave to do so. -Mkini