KUCHING — A party member of Malaysia’s opposition People’s Justice Party (PKR) in Sarawak, Mr Bill Kayong, was shot dead near a shopping mall in Senadin, Miri, on Tuesday morning (June 21), the party announced.

Its Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How confirmed the death and told reporters in Sarawak the party’s dinner function scheduled for tonight is now cancelled.

“...with sadness, we are constrained to cancel the dinner tonight in view of the unfortunate murder of our dear colleague Bill Kayong in Miri this morning,” Mr See said in a text message on phone app WhatsApp.

PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil confirmed the news, and that the party will be releasing an official statement soon.

“Our Sarawak party leaders have confirmed it. You can call PDRM in Miri for details,” he told Malay Mail Online.

In a short statement to reporters, Mr Fahmi said that Mr Kayong was shot dead at a traffic light stop near the Emart One-Stop Shopping Mall at around 9am.

“Keadilan expresses its condolences to the family of the late Bill Kayong, may they be strong in dealing with this huge loss.

“At the same time, Keadilan hopes that the police arrest the perpetrators and that those involved in this crime be brought to justice,” he said.

In a separate statement later, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and her husband, jailed PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, described Mr Kayong as a PKR activist who was committed to the party's reform agenda.

“He always fought for issues close to the heart of the people of Sarawak, including native customary land rights which he campaigned for in the recent state election,” they said.

In the recent Sarawak state election, Mr Kayong contested in the Bekenu seat against Barisan Nasional (BN) direct candidate Rosey Yunus and two independents. BN won by with a majority of 6,009 votes.  MALAY MAIL ONLINE