KUCHING, April 13 (Bernama) — The five former Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) leaders, known as the Group of Five (G5) do not have the right to nominate their own candidate for the Mas Gading parliamentary seat in the coming general election, SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan said Friday.
Mawan, who is also state Social Development Minister, said it was illogical that the five, including Mas Gading incumbent Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, had declared their support for the Barisan Nasional (BN) but, by implication, wanted to field their own candidate.
“They do not have the locus standi (to nominate) because they are not a political party,” he told reporters after presenting grants to several associations, including the Kuching Division Journalists Association (KDJA), here.
Mawan, who has shortlisted two potential candidates as “party candidates”, was asked to comment on the recent statement by former SPDP vice-president Datuk Sylvester Entri that Dr Tiki was a “people’s candidate” and should therefore defend the seat.
Entri was sacked from the party in November last year while Dr Tiki together with Datuk Peter Nansian, Paulus Palu Gumbang and Rosey Yunus were sacked in January this year for insubordination. The five subsequently formed the BN Club to continue serving the people.
— BERNAMA