KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Tan Sri William Mawan is adamant that incumbent Mas Gading Member of Parliament Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe will not stand in the coming election as a direct Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate without the party’s endorsement.
Mawan, who is also Sarawak Social Development Minister, said Dr Tiki, who had been served with a show cause letter for alleged insubordination, would be replaced by one of at least four potentially winnable candidates in the coming general polls.
“He (Dr Tiki) has created a mess and is an ‘indisciplined’ politician.
“So what do the people want us to do, sack him so that he can qualify to become an independent BN candidate?” he told reporters after presenting cheques to non-governmental organisations at his office at Petra Jaya, here today.
Commenting on Dr Tiki’s statement that he would defend his seat with or without the endorsement of SPDP as he was still the chairman of the BN coordinating committee for Mas Gading, Mawan said his party had an understanding with the other BN component parties that only those endorsed by a BN component party would be nominated as BN candidates.
Dr Tiki was also quoted to have said yesterday that the top BN leadership, especially Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as the national BN chairman and Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud as the state BN had the final say in fielding or dropping him in the next election.
The three-term MP and former deputy minister, who currently serves as the chairman of the National Service Training Council, also warned other aspirants to stay out of his constituency as he was still the sitting elected representative of the area.
Among the names speculated to replace Dr Tiki are Henry Jinep, a successful local entrepreneur and his brother William Jinep, a senior government servant; Rayan Narong, an accountant with the private sector here; Anthony Nogeh, Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority’s (Salcra) deputy general manager and Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik, State Tourism and Heritage Ministry’s permanent secretary. – Bernama
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