Former PSB chief Wong Soon Koh to be PDP's senior VP

Tiong (third from right) presenting PDP shirt to Soon Koh while others do the same at the dinner.

SIBU: Former Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) president Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh will soon be named as the senior vice-president of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).

This comes after the dissolution of PSB and the en bloc acceptance of 80,000 of its members into PDP.

"Wong will be senior vice-president while Dr Johnicol Rayong and Baru Bian will be vice-presidents," PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said at a dinner to welcome former PSB members attended by 2,000 people on Saturday (April 6).

He added that PDP would hold an extraordinary general meeting soon to appoint the trio to their positions in the party.

"We need Wong as senior vice-president due to his vast experience in politics," he said.

Tiong also urged PDP members at all levels to welcome the former PSB members.

"If there are any shortcomings, let's solve it through roundtable discussions as we are one family now," he said.

PSB was founded as the United People's Party and officially launched on Aug 17, 2014. UPP was re-branded as Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), after an extraordinary delegates conference on Dec 8, 2018.

Wong said the Registrar of Societies (ROS) had advised PSB to hold a special delegates conference (held on Feb 17) and met ROS on March 11 and received approval to dissolve the party on March 19.

"We were 'engaged' since last year and now we are married.

"Therefore, PSB as an Opposition party is now history. We are sad in some ways... but we are happy to have found a new home. We are happy with our decision," he said.

Wong added that the combined forces of PDP and the former PSB have made them a very big family and would work together closely to give their fullest to the Sarawak government under Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

During the 12th Sarawak Election, PDP won five seats through Datuk Henry Harry Jinep (Tasik Biru), Friday Belik (Krian), Roland Duat (Meluan), Tiong (Dudong) and Datuk Pengguang Manggil (Marudi).

PSB won four seats through Dr Johnicol Rayong (Engkilili), Baru Bian (Ba'kelalan), Wong (Bawang Assan) and See Chee How (Batu Lintang).

However, See announced his exit from PSB in August 2022 and became an independent assemblyman.

At Parliament level, PDP has two seats through Tiong (Bintulu) and Datuk Anyi Ngau (Baram).