Sibu Urban District Council (1951 to 1981)
In December,1957, 50 candidates stood for the first ever democratic local government election in Sarawak for the 20 seats available in the SUDC . This was in line with the Colonial Government's policy of helping Sarawak on the road to self government. In the Uk, the Local Government is the first tier of the British system of democratic government.
Sibu was divided in several wards (a term borrowed from the British system of government). My father, Chang Ta Kang, stood in Bukit Assek Ward.
A distant uncle once told us that my father was quite a personality. He won the election by popular vote because of his academic qualifications, his good looks, his integrity and his ability to speak 4 languages - English, Chinese, Malay and Iban and three dialects - Foochow, Hin Hua and Cantonese. He had been quite in demand as an interpreter by the British government officers.
After the election, 16 elected were Chinese, 4 were Malay.
Those elected were
Ward 1 (Upper Island) Yew Kheng Sui, Pang Ming Seng,
(Ward 2 Lower Island) Law Hieng Ing, Tieu Sung Seng,
(Ward 3 Race Course Road) Peter Jong Kuet Siong, Ngu Tieng Eng,
(Ward 4 Upper Kampngs) Abang Hj Abdul Razak Ahang Kiprawi bin Datu Ahang Yan
(Ward 5 Lower Kampongs) Ainnie bin Dhoby ,V.G. Bandong.
(Ward 5 Race Course Road)Peter Jong Kuet Siong, Ngo Tieng Eng.
(Ward 6 Sungei Merah)Teng Kah Eng, Ting Chew Hing
( Ward 7 Bukit Assek)Wong Ngi Chang, Chang Ta Kang, Kong Sung Seng,
(Ward 8 Lanang Road) Ting Lik Hung, Chew Geok Lin, Lee Yu Yong,
(Ward 9 Salim) Kong Chung Siew and Chieng Hie Kwong.
(Source: The Sarawak Government Gazette Extraordinary, Part IV, Vol. XII, No. 27, 31 December 1957, hlm. 215.)
These councillors served for a term of 2 years . Another set of councillors were elected in 1959, December.
The Sibu Municipal Board (1948) continued to operate till the end of 1951. It was renamed SUDC, which was financially self supporting and autonomous. The Sibu Districted Officer was the chairman to the council and continued until the end of 1957. Members of the council were all nominated.
( Sibu Municipal Board was founded on 31 January 1925 during the period of Kingdom of Sarawak. Resident of the third division of Sarawak was the chairman of the municipal board. The municipal officer at that time was Sibu District Officer. Other members of the municipal board includes Sibu Divisional Engineer, Superintendent of Sibu Lands & Surveys, and Sibu Divisional Medical Officer. "Unofficial members" which is also known as Sibu Municipal Commissioners were nominated from the leaders of various communities.Wikipedia)]
In December,1957, 50 candidates stood for the first ever democratic local government election in Sarawak for the 20 seats available in the SUDC . This was in line with the Colonial Government's policy of helping Sarawak on the road to self government. In the Uk, the Local Government is the first tier of the British system of democratic government.
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| Sibu Urban District Council Building |
Sibu was divided in several wards (a term borrowed from the British system of government). My father, Chang Ta Kang, stood in Bukit Assek Ward.
A distant uncle once told us that my father was quite a personality. He won the election by popular vote because of his academic qualifications, his good looks, his integrity and his ability to speak 4 languages - English, Chinese, Malay and Iban and three dialects - Foochow, Hin Hua and Cantonese. He had been quite in demand as an interpreter by the British government officers.
After the election, 16 elected were Chinese, 4 were Malay.
Those elected were
Ward 1 (Upper Island) Yew Kheng Sui, Pang Ming Seng,
(Ward 2 Lower Island) Law Hieng Ing, Tieu Sung Seng,
(Ward 3 Race Course Road) Peter Jong Kuet Siong, Ngu Tieng Eng,
(Ward 4 Upper Kampngs) Abang Hj Abdul Razak Ahang Kiprawi bin Datu Ahang Yan
(Ward 5 Lower Kampongs) Ainnie bin Dhoby ,V.G. Bandong.
(Ward 5 Race Course Road)Peter Jong Kuet Siong, Ngo Tieng Eng.
(Ward 6 Sungei Merah)Teng Kah Eng, Ting Chew Hing
(Ward 8 Lanang Road) Ting Lik Hung, Chew Geok Lin, Lee Yu Yong,
(Ward 9 Salim) Kong Chung Siew and Chieng Hie Kwong.
(Source: The Sarawak Government Gazette Extraordinary, Part IV, Vol. XII, No. 27, 31 December 1957, hlm. 215.)
These councillors served for a term of 2 years . Another set of councillors were elected in 1959, December.
The Sibu Municipal Board (1948) continued to operate till the end of 1951. It was renamed SUDC, which was financially self supporting and autonomous. The Sibu Districted Officer was the chairman to the council and continued until the end of 1957. Members of the council were all nominated.
( Sibu Municipal Board was founded on 31 January 1925 during the period of Kingdom of Sarawak. Resident of the third division of Sarawak was the chairman of the municipal board. The municipal officer at that time was Sibu District Officer. Other members of the municipal board includes Sibu Divisional Engineer, Superintendent of Sibu Lands & Surveys, and Sibu Divisional Medical Officer. "Unofficial members" which is also known as Sibu Municipal Commissioners were nominated from the leaders of various communities.Wikipedia)]
The area of the Sibu Urban District Council was then about three (3) miles square. The 1947 Census indicated a population of 9,983 in the District. In 1957 the Sibu Urban District boundary was extended to contain a total area of about 20 miles square. The population was 29,630 as at Wednesday, June 15, 1960, according to 1960 Census Report.
The Third General election of the SUDC for 21 members was held on Sunday June 23rd 1963. These councillors held office for MORE THAN 18 years, ie until 1981.
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