KUCHING: Parti Rakyat Sarawak(PRS) president Dato Sri Dr James Masing has described Pelagus incumbent Larry Sng’s omission from the Barisan Nasional (BN) final list of candidates as his own undoing.

“I wanted to save him by appointing him the Information Chief of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) in 2006. In fact, PRS supreme council members wanted me to sack him but I said no. He did not accept my proposal at that time,” he said when met.

Masing, who is also Baleh incumbent, said Sng’s loyalty should be shown inside the party instead of wanting to topple the PRS leadership.

“In politics, you have to be honest to yourself and the party. This is the price that you have to pay. He was not listening to advice at that time and turned against me,” he added.

Sng’s name was not in the BN final list announced by Special Advisor in the Chief Minister’s Office, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters at Jalan Bako yesterday.

PRS instead has fielded new candidate Stanley Nyitar, a 58-year old former Sarawak Energy manager, to replace Sng in Pelagus constituency.

Sng was sacked from the party following an illegal 2006 PRS triennial delegates conference (TDC) held by him.

The announcement of BN’s list of candidates has finally ended speculation that Sng would either contest on Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) ticket in Meradong or as Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) candidate in Meluan.

When asked to comment on the new candidate Stanley Nyitar, Masing said he is the right candidate for Pelagus.

“He is the best that PRS can offer to the people of Pelagus and we have never lost in Pelagus,” Masing added.

When asked to comment on whether Sng will stand as an independent candidate while at the same time supporting Barisan Nasional, Masing said the chance for Sng to gain victory is very slim if not none.

Masing pointed out that if Sng were to stand as an independent, his fate may follow the footsteps of his father Datuk Sng Chee Hua who once lost in Pelagus as an independent candidate.

He added that the senior Sng only won the seat when he contested under the now-defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS).

Masing said PRS would support Sng in whichever seat he may contest as long as he remains loyal to BN.

“But he is not in PRS list, that is for sure,” he said.

Efforts to contact Sng for his immediate comments were in vain yesterday as he was believed to have switched off his phone.

Calls went straight to the mailbox while text messages were unanswered.

Sng had made headlines in 2001 when he became the youngest state assemblyman after winning the Pelagus seat at the age of 22.

He was also an assistant minister with three portfolios despite being partyless.