KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) is expected to elect its new president during the party’s Triennial Delegates Conference (TDC) in May this year.
The party’s acting president Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum said the party had fixed the TDC to be held on May 7 in Sibu. It was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The TDC will see the election of the post of the president, deputy president, all vice presidents and committee members of the supreme council.
“That is the main agenda or purpose of the TDC,” he said in a press conference after chairing the party’s Supreme Council Meeting at PRS Headquarters, Jalan Wan Alwi on Saturday (Jan 22).
The president post was left vacant since the passing of the late Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing on Oct 31.
Salang said that before the holding of the TDC, the party had instructed all its 32 divisions to hold their general meetings and elect their respective office bearers.
“In the previous years, the divisions had their Annual General Meeting (AGM) without the selection of the office bearers.
“So, this time, we want them to elect their new office bearers from whom they will have to select as delegates to the TDC,” he said.
He added that the party’s Constitution is that the divisions must have the threshold number of members and only then they are entitled to send the delegates.
“If they cannot meet the threshold number, then they cannot send the delegates but are only able to send observers,” he explained.
When asked if the TDC delegates could nominate the presidency post, Salang said they are allowed to do so.
“The nomination will come from the divisions, and they will nominate who they propose to be the president and deputy president.
“So, it’s all down to the committee members,” he pointed out.
At the Supreme Council Meeting earlier, he said it was the first meeting to be held after the 12th state election.
“During the meeting, we congratulated those who won in the state election and also those being appointed to the State Cabinet under Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg,” said Salang.
