Stephen also acted on behalf of Rahman Ya'kub as chief minister in Council Negri (now Sarawak state legislative assembly) meetings where he had to answer dozens of questions in the sittings.
Abdul Rahman Ya'kub supported Yong's assessment based on reports by the special police branch.
[2] Yong vacated the deputy chief minister post to Sim Kheng Hong, one of his party committee members.
[2] Stephen Yong chose Wong Soon Kai over Chang Siaw Chiang (张守江) to take over a cabinet minister post left by Sim.
Yong told Hussein that the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) invited SUPP for a vote of no confidence against Rahman Ya'kub in the Council Negri.
On 16 April 1978, Rahman Ya'kub invited Yong, Ong Kee Hui, and Sim Kheng Hong to a tea break.
In that meeting, Rahman Ya'kub mentioned that communist subversives have been trying to penetrate SUPP by toppling existing party leaders.