SPDP principled and relevant — Balang

Posted on January 30, 2012, Monday

KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) is a political party with principles as it adheres to the constitution and principles of Barisan Nasional (BN).

It is therefore relevant in the society despite the ‘misperception’ which two independent representatives, namely Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie and Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, tried to create in the minds of people in Bau last Saturday, said party secretary-general Nelson Balang Rining yesterday.

He said as of yesterday he had not received any resignation letter from members of SPDP in Mas Gading division.

So technically, the 1,000 members said to be siding Nansian and Dr Tiki are still very much party members, he pointed out.

Balang was responding to a public query on whether SPDP or other BN parties for that matter would lose their relevance when five independent representatives tried to champion the setting up of a BN club.

He said: “SPDP is still relevant to society. Those who said they are not are trying to play down BN’s relevance in society too. BN is a coalition of political parties.”

He cited growing number of membership applications as proof that SPDP still had its public appeal.

“SPDP’s relevance depends very much on overall support of the people and recruitment from time to time. As far as SPDP Mas Gading is concerned, the number of people at the last two dinners showcasing potential replacements for the current incumbents (Nansian and Dr Tiki) in Bau is proof that SPDP and BN are still relevant,” he said.

“New members applying to join the party elsewhere recently and handing over of membership forms to join SPDP Puteri last Saturday also showed that the party is relevant. SPDP has major roles to play in our society,” he added.

“And don’t forget even the 1,000 people whom the independent YBs claimed to be siding with them are still party (SPDP) members. Technically they are still BN members,” he stressed.

On his take on party president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom’s actions of late, Balang said Mawan’s firm decision on most crucial matters had made him a credible leader in the eyes of members, let alone party loyalists.

On the five independent elected representatives – Dr Tiki (Mas Gading MP) and state assemblypersons Nansian (Tasik Biru), Datuk Sylvester Entrie Muran (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau) who claimed they were BN members – Balang said SPDP would always see them as outsiders.

When contacted yesterday, SPDP Lambir division chief Stewart Aying, however, said these independent representatives were playing ‘politics of perception and political survival’.

A hardcore grassroots spokesman for SPDP, Aying said he hoped his counterparts in Mas Gading understood their (independents) political game and ultimate motive.

“The sacking of these five office bearers from SPDP was a painful decision but it had to be made otherwise party leaders would lose credibility,” he said.

He explained that at the moment BN did not want to rock the boat simply by announcing that these independent incumbents (in Mas Gading and Tasik Biru) were outside BN.

There are good reasons for this, he said.

“Firstly, BN needs people to disburse minor rural project (MRP) funds and who else better than the incumbents (Nansian and Dr Tiki) themselves?

“Secondly, if BN announces now that these incumbents are outside BN, then the coalition will technically be losing two representatives or more if it includes YB Entri, YB Rosey and YB Paulus. BN still needs them to support their policies during debates in the State Legislative Assembly and Parliament,” he said when explaining why BN appeared to be supporting these independent representatives now.

Not selfish in sharing political views, Aying pointed out that the crucial time for BN was nomination day because this would be the time for the coalition to decide if it should stick to its principle or allow candidates from clubs to contest in elections.

“I would say, should Mas Gading or Tasik Biru BN clubs be approved by BN then nothing could then stop dissenting members of Umno, MCA or MIC from forming clubs every time they are unhappy with their party leadership,” he said.

To him, formation of BN clubs would only open the floodgates and set a bad precedent in the government fold.

“Such approval does not augur well for BN’s future. BN is a coalition of political parties and clubs would only set to make all 14 parties in BN irrelevant one day, he stressed.

“Even if these clubs later on spring into action and turn BN into a single entity or party, there will be no more power-sharing concept which is practised by the fold now,” he added.

SPDP will be holding its Triennial General Meeting (TGM) on March 17 and 18 at Bintulu to regularise their actions apart from reconsolidating members from all over Sarawak. The party now has around 90,000 members.

JAMESJG.COM says, “The test of loyalty towards Barisan Nasional will be proven come GE13. Let us see if these community leaders give their votes to BN-SPDP in Mas Gading. Lidah tidak bertulang, loyalty will decide your fate in DUN election later.”