The Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) faction led by acting president Sng Chee Hua today elected his son and state assistant minister Larry Sng, 27, as new party president.

If the faction's triennial delegates conference (TDC) held in Kuching today is officially recognised by the Registrar of Societies (ROS), then Larry will become the youngest party leader to head a Barisan Nasional component party.

Larry entered active politics at the age of 21 when he stood as a BN candidate and won in the Pelagus state constituency after his incumbent father gave way to him. He was then appointed assistant minister when he was still with the now defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS). He was re-elected in last May state elections and re-appointed assistant minister.

Party vice-president and Sri Aman MP Jimmy Donald was elected Larry's deputy while Sidi Munan, a staunch Sng Senior ally, was re-appointed secretary-general after the party's first TDC this afternoon. Deputy secretary-general is Audie Chua.

The TDC was attended by about 270 delegates from 19 of the party's 28 registered divisions as well as about 600 observers from throughout the state.

A former government officer Hilary Mukit was appointed treasurer-general.

The seven new vice-presidents are Dr Ong Lark Sai, Munan Laja, Ernest Chua, George Lagong, David Goh, Josephine Mawat (re-elected women's chief) and Leon Jimmy Donald (elected new party youth chief).

Fifteen others were elected supreme council members.

ROS officials present

A five-member credentials committee, including the former acting president Sng Chee Hua, was also appointed.

Larry said six other appointed posts, including deputy treasurer-general and information chief, are being left vacant for the time being.

Later he told a press conference that the new list of office-bearers would be submitted, as required, to the ROS by Monday.

Today's TDC proceedings were witnessed by the state ROS director James Ho and his deputy Awang Suhaili Awang Tengah.

Ho told reporters he was directed by his superiors to observe the TDC and he would submit his report as soon as possible.

The ROS officials did not attend the other TDC that was organised by Sng's rival, Dr James Masing-led faction on Dec 2 last year in Sibu.

As to which list of office-bearers would be accepted by the ROS as the true and correct list , Ho said this would depend on which group was doing it the right way.

Larry was still holding the olive branch out to the rival group comprising the majority of the party's elected representatives.

He said the party would be talking to them as well as the partyless elected representatives, including Deputy Foreign Minister Joseph Salang, to try and persuade them to join PRS.

Larry said the delegates unanimously resolved to appoint Sng Chee Hua as special advisor who would be invited to attend the party's supreme council meetings as and when necessary.