KUCHING: Businessman Gabriel Michael Tomi has been unanimously elected to helm the Persatuan Segu Benuk Penrissen (PSBP) replacing its founding chairman Lister Nonem Moteng.

He was elected as the new PSBP chairman for the term 2022-2023 during the association’s triennial general meeting (TGM) held at the Kampung Bunuk multipurpose hall recently.

Nonem was later appointed as the association’s chief advisor.

Chaplin Wan was elected as the deputy chairman replacing John Rizal Biki while Aden Nagrace was elected as the new secretary replacing Henry Senok.

All other key positions remained status quo. Robert Oren and Melvin Francis were retained as the treasurer and assistant treasurer, respectively.

Other committee members are John Rizal Biki (Publicity), Duri Ponit (Information), Wisco Gen and Chaplin (Culture and Security), Jackie Panyo and Isabell Julau (Social and Welfare Bureau), Alexson Kuye and Melvin Francis (Sports and Youth), Gibson Sateh and Metua Kure (Education Bureau) and Aden Nagrace and Eric Keytar (Entrepreneur and Economic Bureau).

Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Willie Mongin, who is also the association’s patron, officiated at the opening of the TGM.

In his opening speech, he cautioned the leaders and members of the association to stay focus on the vision and mission of the association.

“Stay focus and do not be divided by politics. Our members may be from different political parties with different political ideologies but we must stay united as members of the association.

“We must have one voice when it comes to association matters. We must learn from successful associations to stay relevant,” he added.

Currently, PSBP has close to 300 registered members from seven villages, whose ancestors originally hailed from Kampung Segu Bunuk.

He urged PSBP to prioritise education and the socio economic development of the people in the seven villages.