Life After Forty

SPDP expects tough fight in Baram parliamentary seat

KUCHING, Aug 17 (Bernama) — Even though the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) is confident of retaining all its four parliamentary seats in the coming general election, the Baram seat is expected to see a tough fight due to issues relating to the Baram dam construction, its president Tan Sri William Mawan said.

He said the party and state Barisan Nasional (BN) needed to win the people’s trust and confidence by going to the ground to rectify the situation so as to allay their unfounded fears on the proposed dam, which would affect more than 20,000 people from 25 settlements.

“I have told our Baram Member of Parliament (Datuk Jacob Sagan) to visit the longhouses and villages in the area and address their fears or else the opposition will jump in, not because they can solve their problems but they will try to appear to be the champions,” Mawan, who is also state Social Development Minister told a press conference here.

Apart from Baram, SPDP’s parliamentary constituencies are Bintulu, Mas Gading and Saratok.

He said people tended to spin negative publicity on the issue by capitalising on the people’s fears of being displaced as a result of the Bakun hydro electric dam project experience. — BERNAMA

Posted by James Joshua on August 17th, 2012

No action against Wong Judat for now, says Sarawak BN Sec-Gen

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KUCHING, Aug 6 (Bernama) — The Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) will not take any disciplinary action against Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) vice-president Wong Judat unless his announcement on contesting in the next general election proves to be detrimental to the coalition, Sarawak BN secretary-general Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said Monday.

He said Wong, who is Meluan state assemblyman, was still in the BN by way of his announcement that he was still with the SPDP and the coalition after months of speculation that he would leave.

“He (Wong) has not made any decision and it is not fair to make any judgment (now) against him. As far as I am concerned, he is still with the BN,” he told reporters here.

Dr Rundi was asked whether the state BN would act against Wong, who had announced that he would contest against the coalition in the Julau parliamentary constituency if the incumbent, Datuk Joseph Salang, is nominated as a candidate in the next general election.

Following the announcement, speculation has been rife that Wong would contest in Julau under the banner of the Sarawak Workers Party (SWP), a newly formed opposition party led by Larry Sng, a former state assistant minister. — BERNAMA

Posted by James Joshua on August 6th, 2012

SPDP’s Sagan Unhappy Over Speculation On His Candidacy

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MIRI, Aug 2 (Bernama) — Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Jacob Sagan has expressed his displeasure over constant media speculation that he will likely be replaced at the last minute in the coming 13th general election.

Sagan, who is Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) senior vice-president, said the media reports would confuse voters in the Baram parliamentary constituency as the party had made the decision to retain him as Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Baram seat.

“It (speculation) will demoralise people in the constituency,” he said after presenting government grants worth RM251,000 to 17 recipients at the Miri Resident Office, here, Thursday.

Media reports recently said that at least five candidates were vying for the predominantly rural Baram seat which might replace Sagan if the leadership deemed him not a winnable candidate.

On another issue, Sagan who is the Baram hydroelectric project community consultative committee (BCCC) chairman, said landowners affected by the construction of the 58km road from Long Lama to Baram dam had been assured that the ongoing survey of their land would be conducted fair and square. — BERNAMA

Posted by James Joshua on August 2nd, 2012

Julau MP Joseph Salang, the much-liked outsider

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Datuk Joseph Salang and a youth from SPDP during the recent Gawai Dayak celebration in Pakan.

SARIKEI, June 13 (Bernama) — Julau member of parliament Datuk Joseph Salang was in high spirits after visiting more than 15 longhouses in the Meluan and Pakan state constituencies (forming the Julau seat) over the weekends.

The three-term incumbent and Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture has plenty of reasons to feel so. His grip on Julau, the size of the whole state of Negeri Sembilan and currently with 20,761 registered voters, is as solid as ever and still growing.

This is despite the continuous provocations and allegations by a fellow politician that people of the two seats want him replaced.

This is because according to Wong anak Judat, the Meluan state assemblyman from a BN component party, the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), Salang is “from neighbouring Bintangor and not a local-born and bred and as such, has no real heart for Julau’s future”.

Salang’s visits to over 10 longhouses in the Nansang and Sungai Rusa interiors were unannounced. He wanted to personally check on the number of longhouses and families affected by the growing fresh water shortage.

– BERNAMA

Posted by James Joshua on June 13th, 2012

SPDP will help Salang if re-nominated, to win Julau seat – Mawan

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SIBU, May 24 (Bernama) — The Sarawak Progessive Democratic Party (SPDP) will mobilise its members in the Meluan and Pakan state constituencies to ensure the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Julau parliamentary seat wins in the coming general election.

Its president, Tan Sri William Mawan, said SPDP was a friend and partner to all BN component parties, including the Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

“We are not PRS’ enemy in Julau, although our state assemblyman for Meluan, Wong anak Judat, has personal differences with PRS incumbent Datuk Joseph Salang, who is expected to be renominated.

We do not believe in trying to sabotage another BN component party to make us stronger,” he told a press conference today, after declaring open the party’s service centre for the state central region here.

Mawan, who is the state social development minister, said it was the Sarawak Worker’s Party (SWP) and the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) which wanted to challenge the PRS in all its six parliamentary seats.

On differences between Wong and Salang, who is state deputy information communication and culture minister, he said it should not be seen as a big problem for the BN.

“We will help Salang. We have never waiver from this understanding as a fellow BN component party,” he said.

On calls by various quarters for the party to take action against Wong, Mawan said SPDP had its own mechanism and system, should this be necessary.

“Nevertheless, what happened in Julau was Wong, merely expressing his personal differences with Salang,” he said.

On the service centre, Mawan said it would help the party serve over 10,000 members from 18 divisions in the state’s central region.

“The region covering the Sibu, Sarikei, Mukah and Kapit divisions is probably our strongest supporter base, in terms of membership strength, unity and loyalty,” he noted. — BERNAMA

Posted by James Joshua on May 24th, 2012

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