SPDP most multi-racial party: Mawan

KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) is enjoying increasing support from all races in Sarawak.

The party president Datuk Seri William Mawan said this was because SPDP is the most multi-racial party in Sarawak, adding that it is not just in name but in reality.

Hence he challenged all SPDP leaders at the grass root-level to recruit more new members and has set the target of 20,000 new members state-wide this year.

“SDPD is gaining more support. There is no big and small party in BN. We have to work together because we have the social obligations to help the people. Let move on, that is what Malaysia, Sarawak and SPDP is all about,” he said.

He also stressed the need for the party to build closer rapport with the people.

“SPDP may seem small by some people but that is not true because we are actually strong.

Mawan has recently stated it clear that the party will not swap seats with any component party.

The Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation also warned other Barisan National (BN) component parties not to make his party the scapegoat when it involves dispute in the individual component parties or within Barisan Nasional (BN).

“We have to work hard hand in hand with SUPP, PRS and PBB when it is necessary. We don’t have to whack each other. Don’t find scapegoat, don’t drive ourselves to this cheap politics,” said Mawan.

He explained that SPDP present in areas which are not its seat was to consolidate BN’s effort.

“Some people are not happy in SPDP, some may not be happy in PRS, SUPP and PBB for that matter, but they can join any component party to support BN,” he added.

Mawan said people has been talking and speculating about SPDP swapping Meluan state seat with Pelagus but stressed that it has never been discussed in SPDP.

“I have been quoted willing to swap seat. We should reject such proposal because we in SPDP don’t have any problem with our seats.

“People said let swap Meluan seat but we never talk in wanting to swap seats,” he said.

On Pelagus seat, Mawan said it was PRS and BN problem although the party can help to solve but SPDP don’t have to lose seat (Meluan) just to solve Pelagus which is PRS seat presently held by partyless representative Larry Sng.

“All the seats we hold we have no problem at all with it. Nobody is going to move out. If Ngemah seat is having problem we can help to solve but we don’t have to lose seat.

Nevertheless, he stressed that SPDP will help BN to win all the problematic seats in the election.
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SUPP not neglecting Bidayuh, says Kheng Hui

KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) secretary general Datuk Amar Sim Khen Hui did not agree with the statement that the party has neglected the Bidayuh in Bengoh and Opar constutencies, but prom

ised it will better its services to the Bidayuh community.
“We have to work hard and we had always reminded our representatives that they much work hard in the constituencies they are representing and the same applied to the two constituencies (Bengoh and Opar),” he said.
He agreed that there are certain issues and projects which could not be solved and implemented during the present term, but said the party leadership will look into it in the next term.
“Anyway I also would like to urge the people in the two constituencies to be patience because not all projects and problems could be implemented and solved at one time,” he added.
He also quashed allegations that SUPP is only concentrating in solving the issues in urban areas and among the Chinese community but not its seat in the urban areas and the other communities.
“It is not true at all because our party is multi-racial party and we serves all communities regardless of race, religion and the area,” he added.
Sim was asked to comment on the grudges of the Bidayuh in seats which is represented by the party.
SUPP have two State Assembly seats in the Bidayuh majority areas, namely Bengoh and Opar and one Parliamentary seat of Serian.
Dr Jerip Susil and Ranum Mina is the Bengoh and Opar State Assemblymen respectively while Datuk Richard Riot is the Member Parliament for Serian. Richard has been appointed as the Deputy Foreign Minister.
On whether Dr Jerip and Ranum would be re-nominated to defend their respective seat in the forthcoming state election, Sim said at the moment both are in the list.
He however did not ruled out last minute changes, adding that the party wants only winnable candidates.
There has been guessing game with regard to Dr Jerip candidacy as many aspiring candidates In Bengoh has indicated their interest to be nominated to replace Dr Jerip.
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