KUCHING: Sarawak can benefit from having Kuching South Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng as a member of the state assembly, provided he wins the Dec 18 election, said Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said Wee, who is the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate for Padungan in the 12th state election, is an experienced mayor with good ideas that would surely benefit the state.

"Some say that Wee is a very good mayor (and asked) why not just ask him to be a mayor? So, I told them that he has many ideas and why not let him give his ideas in the state assembly so that everybody in Sarawak will benefit," he said when launching the Council of the City of Kuching South swimming pool redevelopment project here tonight.

On calls by certain parties for Padungan constituents not to vote for Wee because he would not be the mayor if he wins the election, Abang Johari said: "He can become a state assemblyman and still be a mayor."

Wee will take on Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) election director Raymond Thong Ee Yu and Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi) president Lina Soo for the Padungan seat in the election this time.

-- BERNAMA