Source: Borneo Post, 6th March 2012
By Churchill Edward
KUCHING: SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom yesterday advised former party office bearer Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran to be “logical” when issuing statements concerning the party and his status.
Mawan, who is also Social Development Minister, also advised Entri, who is also Assistant Minister of Water Supply and Marudi assemblyman, to check his facts first before speaking, otherwise people would accuse him of lying.
He said this in response to Entri’s statement in a national paper that SPDP is ‘piggy riding’ on the Barisan Nasional (BN).
Mawan said it was not logical to accuse SPDP of piggy riding on the BN when the party is a component of the BN.
“That (Entri’s accusation) is utter rubbish. How can we (SPDP) piggy ride on the BN? We (SPDP) are (part of) the BN.”
Suggesting that Entri is confused, Mawan said he neither said Entri and his political partners were piggy riding on the BN, nor did he instruct SPDP divisions to pass resolutions stating that they (Entri’s partyless group) should be stripped off their ministerial and government-linked companies (GLC) posts.
He pointed out that these posts were the prerogative of the state or Chief Minister, and only top BN leaders, including himself, should address issues surrounding them.
Apart from Entri, Mawan was referring to partyless Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe and assemblypersons Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie (Tasik Biru), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Paulu Gumbang (Batu Danau). They were all sacked from SPDP recently.
Recently, SPDP divisions in Muara Tuang, Meradong, Piasau and Pelagus publicly announced that they had issued such a resolution during their respective triennial general meetings (TGM), which was held pursuant to the party’s March 18 triennial general assembly (TGA) in Bintulu.
Although SPDP Batu Lintang did not have such a resolution during their TGM, they later declared their support for SPDP Muara Tuang’s move.
SPDP Meradong had also stated that they would not be surprised if other divisions throughout Sarawak subsequently resolved that the partyless five elected representatives be stripped off their ministerial and GLC posts.
Mawan said even though the divisions were entitled to their own opinions, he urged them to be patient and calm.
He said only if the partyless five elected representatives continue with their negative politicking in the pretext of serving the people then it would be inevitable for SPDP to discuss their ministerial and GLC posts, or even resolve on the matter during its TGA in Bintulu.
Mawan said since he is a BN leader, he understood that the five still have their responsibilities and obligations to serve their constituents.
“In fact, they can serve all they want without the need for the so-called platform which they themselves termed as BN Club.
“If they have to serve the people, then serve. It is the negative politicking that the party is against. For instance, colluding with community leaders to go against SPDP and its leaders (is negative politicking). If this is allowed to continue, this will affect BN’s solidarity, and more so when the next general election is just around the corner.”
Mawan said SPDP was moving forward and was now recruiting more members from the younger generation through various special programmes because it’s philosophy rests on catering to the needs of future leaders.
“The future and strength of SPDP depends very much on young leaders.”