Ahli SPDP yang hadir ke mesyuarat SPDP Bahagian Marudi.

MARUDI 5 Mei– Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) mengingatkan parti komponen Barisan Nasional (BN) yang lain agar tidak ‘kacau daun’ di konstituensi SPDP dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU Ke-13) nanti.

“Jika ada tangan yang nakal mahu campur tangan dan apabila tindakan itu memakan diri sendiri, jangan salahkan orang lain,” kata Timbalan Presiden SPDP, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

Katanya, setakat ini parti sudah menghantar beberapa senarai calon yang berpotensi untuk bertanding di konstituensi SPDP, namun keputusan sama ada calon tersebut bertanding atau sebaliknya, belum dimuktamadkan.

“Kita memang sudah ada beberapa calon yang layak. Berdasarkan maklumat yang saya terima, calon Baram ialah Dato Jacob Dungau Sagan manakala calon Mas Gading pula akan ditukar,” katanya berucap merasmikan Mesyuarat Agung Tahunan SPDP Bahagian Marudi di Rumah Morgan, Sungai Nyipa, Marudi hari ini.

Dalam pada itu, Tiong yang juga Pengerusi Kelab Penyokong Kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BNBBC) mengingatkan rakyat di Baram agar meneruskan sokongan terhadap kepimpinan Ahli Parlimen Baram, Dato Jacob Dungau Sagan untuk meningkatkan majoriti.

“Saya menyeru Wanita dan Pemuda SPDP untuk membantu sepenuhnya melindungi semua kerusi yang ditandingi dan meningkatkan majoriti kemenangan,” katanya.

Pada majlis yang sama, Tiong mengumumkan peruntukan sebanyak RM5,000 untuk peralatan PA System.

Dato Seri Tiong King Sing berucap ketika perasmian mesyuarat SPDP Bahagian Marudi.

PEKAN BELURU, 5 Mei – Timbalan Presiden Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP), Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing menyelar tindakan Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, seorang daripada anggota SPDP 5 yang mendesak rakyat menyerahkan Kad SPDP mereka dan mengisi borang Kelab Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak jika mahu permohonan projek luar bandar mereka diluluskan.

Tiong yang juga Pengerusi Kelab Penyokong Kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BNBBC) berkata, semua projek yang dikendalikan oleh BN adalah bertujuan untuk membantu rakyat dan boleh didapati tanpa sebarang syarat.

“Tindakan Sylvester ini tidak ubah seperti, menyuruh si suami menceraikan si isteri jika mahu projek yang dimohon diluluskan,” katanya berucap merasmikan Pejabat SPDP Bahagian N66 Marudi di Marudi hari ini.

Ujar Tiong, SPDP yang ditubuhkan pada 2002 pernah menjadi sebuah parti yang bersatu-padu, namun baru-baru ini keadaan bertukar kecoh dan keliru yang dicetuskan oleh Kelab BN Sarawak.

“Mereka (Kumpulan 5) mendakwa menyokong BN, namun apa yang mereka lakukan sebenarnya adalah mensabotaj. Sebagai contoh, apabila SPDP menganjurkan aktiviti, mereka juga menganjurkan aktiviti yang sama. Sebagai contoh, apa yang berlaku di Rumah Joshua baru-baru ini.”

“Nasihat saya kepada Sylvester, jangan bermain kayu tiga. Saya pernah diberitahu bahawa Sylvester pernah memberitahu kepada Presiden parti Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom bahawa beberapa ahli parti mahu menyokong SPDP daripada segi kewangan dengan syarat saya dipecat.”

Menurut Tiong, namun Mawan enggan walaupun adalah adil untuk mendedah dan mencabar Sylvester memberi keterangan mengenai perkara itu.

“Mawan seorang yang ‘gentlemen’ dan budiman pada 2009. Sepatutnya Sylvester menghargai. Malah beliau menekankan pentingnya semua kaum termasuk Orang Ulu walaupun minoriti menjawat jawatan tinggi dalam parti untuk mewakili etnik mereka.”

“Mereka (Kumpulan 5) bercakap memang mudah, namun saya cabar, jika benar-benar menyokong BN mengapa tidak hadir dalam acara atau majlis SPDP-BN?.”

Ujar Tiong, sebagai pemimpin yang berdedikasi, ahli parti tidak harus menyempitkan fikiran, semangat perkauman dan gila kuasa.

Sementara itu, kira-kira 3,000 datang menghadiri majlis perasmian termasuk 57 tuai rumah. Seramai 2,000 ahli baharu juga direkrut pada majlis tersebut.

YB Wong with his supporters during the recent party TGM in Bintulu.

Source: Borneo Post

KUCHING: SPDP vice president Wong Judat yesterday asserted that he was still a BN man and very much in SPDP, casting aside aspersions that that he had put himself in a position that had become an affront to the ruling coalition.

The Meluan assemblyman also denied that he was contemplating leaving BN and SPDP.

“How can I quit BN and SPDP? I am a strongman of SPDP. I am a strong BN supporter. I brought the seat of Meluan to SPDP and therefore to BN,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Wong was clarifying a news report that he was ‘supporting’ the newly registered Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) as he was seen shaking hands with SWP prime mover Datuk Sng Chee Hua, who is tipped to contest under SWP ticket against BN possible candidate Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum in Julau in the coming 13th general election.

On this, he explained that the meeting with Sng at the function in Nanga Entabai, Julau on April 28 was by chance and not by design.

He said the function was a BN ‘Leader-Meet-The People’ session organised by Tuai Rumah Budul, and disclosed that he (Wong) had the letter from the longhouse chief to prove that he was invited to grace it.

“It was not an SWP function. It was my function as a BN assemblyman meeting the constituents,” he explained.

“I still keep the letter of invitation for all to see. It (the Nanga Entabai event) was a BN Leader-Meet-The People function. It was a friend’s event. It was therefore not a SWP function. And Datuk Sng just happened to be there,” said Wong, adding that he would explain the situation further on May 6 at Pakan, Julau.

“I will explain everything in Pakan,” he said. Pakan is an SPDP state seat currently held by its president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom who is also a senior state minister.

When told that Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) secretary-general Datuk Wilfred Rata Nissom was unhappy with the latest development in Julau, Wong replied that several quarters had capitalised on the issue.

On his take on Salang, Wong said it was indeed true he had personal problems with the PRS vice-president, whom he (Wong) described as not a winnable candidate for BN in the coming polls. He, however, said he had no problems with PRS as a party.

On April 14, Mawan told the press that the personal vendetta between Wong and Salang was real and it was manifested at a particular function where both men (Salang and Wong) were jostling over a microphone to explain what had happened to the stalled RM3 million Nanga Entabai-Rantau Limau road project.

Wong initially won Meluan as an independent by beating Sarawak National Party (SNAP) candidate, the late Geman Itam, in 2001 state polls. Subsequently he joined SPDP when SNAP was deregistered in November 2002.

Wong was known to be vocal at the grassroots level, making him a popular leader with the locals in Julau.

Sng, on the other hand, is a former Julau MP (1995 to 1999) during the era of Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) before Salang, the then PBDS treasurer-general, took over from Sng. Salang is currently a federal deputy minister.

Other news article at Borneo Post on this issue:

• Is Wong Judat putting his party SPDP in hot soup?
• Salang has big plans for Julau
• Sng and Wong desperate politicians, says Julau MP

KUCHING: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) will be behind all Barisan Nasional (BN) component partners in the coming 13th general election, said its deputy information chief Datuk Peter Minos.

Minos, who is PBB Opar chairman, said the party has been directed by its leaders to stand firm, particularly behind Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) which appeared to be facing rivalry from a group coined by the media as G5 on the candidacy for Mas Gading parliamentary constituency.

“PBB is firm. We stand with our component partners all the way. PBB Opar included,” he said in SMS communication from London yesterday.

According to him, PBB practices a culture that it must be honest and sincere with its partners in both good and bad times.

“It is this culture that has earned PBB its credibility and thereby getting real and true support and confidence from its members, supporters and partners,” he said.

“Even former rivals can be won over because of their trust in PBB. Led by a leader in Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud who has the brain, ability and wisdom, PBB’s culture gets more firm and entrenched,” he added.

Minos was responding to a ‘public confusion’ arising from a statement by G5 spokesman partyless Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie that he was confident BN would once again pick Mas Gading incumbent MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe as its candidate in the coming election when SPDP had already recommended either Salcra deputy general manager Anthony Nogeh Gumbek or businessman Henry Harry Jinep.

One of the questions that arose after Nansian uttered his ‘confidence’ over the matter was – Will BN bulldoze SPDP, a BN component partner, out of the way, just to accommodate Dr Tiki who is partyless?

To this Minos reiterated that as far as PBB was concerned, the party, including PBB Opar, would be with SPDP all the way.

He said this fact and the common understanding among BN partners was manifested by the presence of PBB Tasik Biru members including its chairman John Nyigor at the BN Solidarity Dinner held by SPDP Mas Gading group at Bau Civic Centre on April 14.

The dinner saw the presence of SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom and deputy Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing who did not hide his feeling when introducing Nogeh as the most likely candidate in Mas Gading. And then at the opening of the SPDP triennial general assembly (TGA) in Bintulu on March 18, Taib who is also state BN chairman made it clear that SPDP would get to recommend its candidates in all four of its parliamentary seats to the BN and that BN would endorse them.

Apart from Mas Gading, SPDP is also allocated Baram which is being held by senior vice-president (SVP) Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan, Saratok (SVP Jelaing Mersat) and Bintulu (Tiong).

KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud appeals to locals to compare and contrasts information found online with situations on the ground.

He told a gathering of social media enthusiasts here that “the free flow of information” via the Internet had led to meddling from external sources, some of whom might misrepresented situations.

“Issues like more democratic freedom and care for the environment are actually very good values. They are, in fact, laudable objectives,” Taib said the close of the Sarawak Social Media Convention 2012.

“But some (bloggers and writers on the Internet) are confused. How much of the information on the Internet is sufficiently oriented to what is happening within the country’s boundaries? How much is actually related to the real questions facing people in the country?”

The Chief Minister spoke about the relevance of the Internet in today’s society, saying he had no doubt that without the Internet, the Arab Spring would not have occurred. He said such social changes were “some good, some not so good” and that “society has been disrupted” by the Internet.

On the masses’ want for change, Taib said “world values” like greater democratic freedom was people’s way of expressing that they wanted to “build a better world” looking forward.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who was guest of honour at the function, said plans for at least half of Sarawak to have high-speed Internet was on track.

Najib said 50% of Sarawak would have broadband by the end of this year, which would help bring the national high-speed Internet penetration to 75% by 2015.

“While there will soon be five million households with high-speed Internet, it is still a challenge to bring it to rural Sarawak. Nonetheless, the Government views such development as running parallel to basic infrastructures like water and electricity supply,” Najib said.

“In just 10 years, things have changed so much because of the Internet. It has mobilised the masses. These days, you have smart phones that are more powerful than the dial-up Internet computers we used to have,” the Prime Minister added.

Pehin Sri Taib delivering his speech during the Sarawak Social Media Convention 2012

The Net not a threat

By YU JI
yuji@thestar.com.my

KUCHING: Censorship is useless in today’s environment, says Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Speaking at a gathering of social media enthusiasts here, Taib said transparency was now key to political survival, and praised the Barisan Nasional administration for “tearing down the ISA”.

The Chief Minister also commended the amendments to laws governing the media.

“Old fashioned censorship just doesn’t work anymore. The free flow of information (via the Internet) has given great power to the ordinary men on the street,” Taib said at the close of the Sarawak Social Media Convention 2012 yesterday.

Taib said criticisms online had to be accepted as a new form of feedback by those in power. He added that he first noted the change that would come with the Internet when companies based in the US started outsourcing jobs to the Indian economy.

“When we saw that happening, that was becoming possible, we knew the communication revolution was on its way. We expected a lot of things to change. I’m rather old fashioned. I studied in libraries, but if you look at developed countries right now, even at countrysides, the spread of the (Internet and its benefits) has been so fast.”

As far as the state government was concerned, Taib added, it would continue to make high-speed Internet available at more rural areas, particularly schools. Taib said the state government did not view the Internet as a threat.

If anything, Taib said Sarawak needed more social media savvy citizens.

“We are actually handicapped by a shortage. We need your (social media enthusiasts’) advice and support. Sure, the free flow of information has achieved some good, some not so good; societies have been disrupted.

“Yet, on the other hand, (because of the Internet) this generation is the best generation that is able to practise life-long learning. Books had their restrictions.”

Going back to the Government’s move to liberalise policies, the Chief Minister praised the Prime Minister for having an open and “agile” way of thinking. “He (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) might be the first Prime Minister to understand you (social media enthusiasts) better.”

BN chairman and Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said party presidents should set aside differences that they may have with others leaders within their parties to pick the right persons who could deliver victory in the election.

“I don’t want your favourite persons to become candidates as all I want is winnable candidates,” he said during a dinner hosted by Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud at the latter’s official residence here.

Apart from Taib, who is Sarawak BN chairman and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, the dinner was also attended by presidents of the Sarawak United People’s Party, Datuk Seri Peter Chin; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party, Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom and Parti Rakyat Sarawak’s Tan Sri Dr James Masing.

Najib said differences in opinions were bound to happen in a coalition with a long history such as the BN but he believed they could be sorted out in the family spirit. He said the long history had also put some people in BN to be losing sight of the very reason of the coalition’s existence, which was to serve the people well.

“By serving the people (well), they will have confidence to vote for us,” he said.

The Prime Minister said support from Sarawak was crucial in order for the BN to form the government after the coming election and thus enable the development agenda for the state to continue.

He said the opposition had yet to show that they were able to measure themselves up to what the BN had done all this while for the state.

“We want to do more for Sarawak but what we need is the mandate of the people (in the state in this coming election),” he added. Meanwhile, Taib who spoke earlier, told the state BN leaders to focus on highlighting the success of Sarawak under BN, rather than to be dragged into arguing about the opposition’s propaganda.

Being a person who had been long in politics and administering the state, he said the present opposition had failed to prove themselves as a better alternative for the people to manage the nation.

“I am old in this game and I believe none of the people in the opposition can chart out a common strategy for the (good of the) people,” he said. — BERNAMA

Sarawak Social Media Association (SSMA) president Wan Abdillah Edruce Wan Abdul Rahman said more than 600 participants from urban and rural areas attending the event would discuss at length the proposed 10 resolutions before presenting them to the premier in the afternoon.

“The theme for our event is Connect and Engage,” Wan Abdillah said when contacted yesterday.

“One of the proposed resolutions is social media activists’ pledge to support the government of the day and promote unity among the people which is in line with the association’s slogan, One Voice, One Love,” Abdillah said it was an honour to have Najib and Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud attend the convention, stressing that it was a golden opportunity for all to better interact with the country’s leaders.

“It is a great opportunity of a life time among social media activists. We’ll have the chance to know our premier and there will be a question and answer session open to the floor.”

Established nearly a year ago, Abdillah said, SSMA aimed at engaging the people through the cyber world and helping the government disseminate its policies and programmes.

“Instead of slamming each other in the cyber world, let’s work together in giving out accurate information to the people.”

Prior to attending the Social Media Convention at Hilton Hotel at 1pm, Najib, in Sarawak for a three-day working visit, will have a walkabout at the Matang Jaya farmers market at 8.30am before attending the “Jelajah Janji Di Tepati” programme at the carpark of Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Petra Jaya at 10am.

The “Jelajah Janji Di Tepati” is a meet-the-people programme during which the premier will also be handing out Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M).

He will also visit the Cities and Corridors Lab open day at the old state legislative assembly building which is adjacent to Wisma Bapa Malaysia.

Najib is expected to fly back to Kuala Lumpur at around 2.30pm.

Source: Star Sarawak

KUCHING: SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan believes the political dust in Mas Gading will settle once the Prime Minister has chosen the candidate for the constituency.

He said the contention now was who was to be nominated. He said things looked dusty because of the Group of Five’s (G5) continued expression of discontent to win their battle.

Mawan, who is Social Development Minister, said the G5 had even claimed that some 1,000 had resigned from SPDP.

“They have fabricated things, trying to leverage over the other and trying to make us look like losing our support.

“At the same time they (G5) claimed themselves to be Barisan supporters, yet go against us although we are also in Barisan,” he said.

He said as far as SPDP was concerned, Barisan’s chances in Mas Gading were still good. The G5 could say anything they wanted, but SPDP was more focused on winning the war for Barisan.

“Right now, it’s just a tussle so I don’t want to quarrel with anybody.”

He also reiterated that except for Mas Gading, SPDP would retain all its incumbents.

He said it was either Anthony Nogeh or Henry Harry Jinep in Mas Gading.

When told that PRS secretary-general Datuk Wilfred Nissom had attended and spoken at a function organised by the G5 at Redeems Centre last Saturday, Mawan said it was not an uncommon sight.

“It is something that had happened from day one since the Group of Five had gone against me.

“In fact, when reporters asked me if PRS had interfered directly in SPDP’s affair by pulling the five to PRS headquarters here and PRS office in Kapit, I told the reporters that the PRS president is my friend and he might be helping me to solve my problem.

“Now, you see this thing happening again,” he said.

Its president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom who dislosed this here Wednesday, said it was up to the Barisan Nasional (BN) top leadership to select one of the two names proposed to contest the seat.

“Each BN component party is given two weeks to submit its list of candidates, and it is up to the prime minister to decide on this but there will not be much change for the other (SPDP) seats,” he said when met at Wisma Bapa Malaysia, here.

Mawan said SPDP was not perturbed by the issue of 1,000 members quitting the party recently as they would still support BN in the coming 13th general election.

In the last general election in 2008, SPDP won four of the 31 parliamentary seats in Sarawak, namely Mas Gading, Saratok, Bintulu and Baram.

– BERNAMA