MIRI: The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate for Miri Jeffery Phang is up against two other contenders in the upcoming 15th general election.
The 48-year old political debutant is the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Senadin secretary and is the protégé of Minister of Transport Sarawak Datuk Sri Datuk Sri Lee Kim Shin.
Phang, an architect and property consultant by profession, who held numerous posts in the Miri City Council in the last 20 years, will face former mayor and lawyer Datuk Lawrence Lai of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB).
Joining the fray is newbie, Sarawak Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) chief Chiew Choon Man, 31.
Considered as Sarawak’s biggest parliamentary seat, Miri has 143,229 voters of whom 40,987 are young voters aged between 18 and 29 years.
Yesterday (Nov 4) Phang, accompanied by three SUPP branch chairmen from Mayor Adam Yii (Pujut), Datuk Sebastian Ting (Piasau) and Datuk Sri Lee Kim Shin (Senadin), were present at the Election Commission secretariate office around 9am to submit his nomination forms and paid the RM15,000 security deposit.
Also present to give support was ex-Pujut assemblyman Datuk Andy Chia.
Phang said that as a newbie, he would do his best to help the coalition wrest back the seat which was held for two terms by Dr Michael Teo of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
“I really hope Mirians will give us a chance to win back Miri so that we can do more for this constituency,” he told reporters.
Last Tuesday during the Pakatan Harapan Jelajah Mega tour here, party president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced he was dropping Dr Teo and field a young lawyer, Chiew Choon Man.
Phang said the coming battle against PSB and PKR was not his alone but the GPS components’ as well to ensure the seat returns to SUPP and GPS.
“This GE15 is crucial for us to win Miri to ensure it is ‘reconnected’ to the government’s development radar,” he said.
Earlier, Phang thanked GPS chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and the SUPP top leadership for their confidence in him.
On his ‘personal manifesto’, Phang said he will reveal it during the campaign period after the nomination day today (Nov 5).
Meanwhile, Lee revealed that the election machinery in Pujut, Piasau and Senadin has been activated and will go all out to ensure Phang’s victory.
