He is currently the Member of the Parliament of Malaysia for the Betong constituency in Sarawak, representing the United Traditional Bumiputera Party (PBB).
But after hearing that his sister has been killed in an attack on a train by insurgents, he decides to leave the monastery and make his way to southern Thailand where his sister ran a beauty salon in a town called Betong in a district in Yala Province on the border with Malaysia.
Sri Aman Division was originally made up of four districts, which were Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Betong, and Saratok together with 9 smaller districts including Pantu, Lingga, Maludam, Engkilili, Spaoh, Debak, Pusa and Roban.
Ningkan was born on 20 August 1920 in Betong, Sarawak which was then administered under the Second Division of Simanggang.
Betong made it to the Top 3 along with fellow castaways, Mara Yokohama and Stef Prescott.
Neighboring districts are (from the west clockwise) Betong and Than To of Yala province, Sisakhon, Ra-ngae, Sukhirin of Narathiwat province and the state Perak of Malaysia.
Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise) Bannang Sata of Yala province, Si Sakhon of Narathiwat Province, Betong of Yala province again and the state Kedah of Malaysia.