Mawan to head TERAS originally formed to fight him

KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom (pic) who is facing votes of no confidence from his Supreme Council members has quit the party to join the newly-formed Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (TERAS) which was originally formed by a group of ex-SPDP leaders who he expelled to finish off his political career.

Joing him is Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) former assistant secretary-general Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh who also quit the party.

Others are Baram Member of Parliament, Anyie Ngau and eight SPDP assemblymen - Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran, Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie, Rosey Yunus and Paulus Palu Gumbang.

Three assemblymen from SUPP also followed Soon Koh's move. They are Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Johnicol Rayong (Engkilili).

An opposition assemblyman, George Lagong of the Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) also joined in TERAS.

Expecting to join them are Mas Gading MP Anthony Nogeh of SPDP, State Assemblyman Datuk Lee Khim Shin and Francis Hardin who are both from SUPP. Another SUPP MP Datuk Sri Richard Riot Jaem will hold a press conference today to announce his direction.

In a hastily-called press conference here yesterday, Mawan, who is also a senior minister in the State Cabinet and Member of Parliament for Saratok, said he quit because he had been "elbowed out" from SPDP.

Mawan, who had been the SPDP president since its formation in November 2002, said several leaders in the party were against the recent reinstatement of the membership of Entri, Nansian, Rosey and Paulus.

"The reason I brought them back was to strengthen the party with the common desire to serve and consolidate Barisan Nasional," he said.

He said his decision to quit should not be likened to a captain abandoning his ship but more to being a victim of mutiny.

"(As a captain) I have been thrown overboard," he said.

Mawan said they would apply to become a Barisan Nasional (BN) component party and believed Sarawak Chief Minister and State BN chairman, Tan Sri Adenan Satem, would have a formula to accept them even if there was resistance from SPDP or SUPP.

Meanwhile, Soon Koh, who had been at loggerheads with SUPP president Tan Sri Peter Chin, said he decided to quit SUPP after finding out that there was nothing forthcoming from the peace plan for the party
proposed by the BN top leadership.

"Because of the breakdown in the peace plan, we don't want to keep quarrelling and are tired of the squabblings, we have to go," he said.

Adenan, meanwhile, told reporters that he would comment on the matter after listening to the views of all those involved.

"I will let them have their say first and I will give my comments at an appropriate time," he said.

SPDP was founded in the wake of the de-registration of the Sarawak National Party in November 2002.

Meanwhile Teras was set up to accomodate the five dissenting and once partyless leaders – better known as G5 – who were expelled from SPDP by Mawan in 2011 for insubordination.
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12 beauties vying for the Dayung Sangon title

KUCHING: The judges are expected to have hard time in making their decision on who should be this year's Dayung Sangon (Bidayuh Beauty Pageant) as all the 12 finalists has the beautiful look.

"All of them are beautiful and I believe the highly integellent one will be picked to win the title," said Alvine Ling, a member of the organising committee.

The finalists are Elssey Lessiana Richard, Sandy Dominic, Iesha Dominic, Jesseni Lewi, Alvey John, Andrea Natalia Jaed, Dolly Charles Saches, Madelina Lija, Donna Sikanok, Elviana Temit, Jacqueline Ayong and
Bellynie Johnek @ Ayong.

They were picked from 41 contenders in the preliminary round held at Eastern Mall Supermarket, Siburan on May 26.

One of the three judges at the preliminary round Charlie Unggang said they had a difficult task in choosing the 12 finalists, but was quick to say that those were the best top 12 who deserved to enter the final round.

"I wish them all the best in the final and I believe the penal of judges will also have their difficult time in choosing the top three winners as they are all beautiful," said Charlie.

The finale will be held on May 10 at the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) multi-purpose hall here, starting at 6.30 pm.

The organising committte in the last meeting chaired by DBNA president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik has agreed to raise the amount of prizes for the nine consolation prize winners from RM200 each to RM300.
There will be nine consolation prize winners.

The "Dayung Sangon" will walk away with RM3,000 cash prize while the first and second runner-up will receive RM2,000 and RM1,000 besides  trophies and hampers respectively.

The inaugural state level Dayung Sangon 2014 showcasing the unique and diverse Bidayuh groups in Sarawak is organised by DBNA in conjunction with this year's Gawai festival.

With the theme "Cultures In Diversity", the beauty pageant hopes to bring the various Bidayuhs groups from Kuching, Bau, Serian, Lundu, Penrissen dan Padawan area to demonstrate the uniqueness of each group
through its costume, language and even food.

This competition is an important platform for the participants to groom their personality and build their confidence and become the ambassadors for the Bidayuh.

There was plan to make this cultural activity an annual affair to be included in the state's tourism calender.

(Left side, from top to bottom: Donna Sikanok, Bellynie Johnek @ Ajong, Elssey Lessiana Richard, Iesha Bezzani, Jessenie Lewi and Sandy Dominic.

(Right side, from top to bottom: Alvey John, Andrea Natalia Jaed, Dolly Charles Saches, Elviana Tenit, Jacqueline Ayong and Madelina Lija.

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Masing wants new CM to ensure genuine power sharing

Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Masing (pic) has sent out a message to upcoming Sarawak’s new chief minister to ensure genuine power sharing in the state’s administration.

Current Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud has announced Special Functions Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) publicity chief Tan Sri Adenan Satem as Sarawak’s new and fifth chief minister.

Masing stressed that there must be genuine power sharing involving all races in the state because if not, the state Barisan Nasional (BN) would have problems in facing the 11th state election, with is due in June 2016.

“The Dayak community must be recognised, not just in terms of development but also in terms of power sharing.

“Do not sideline the Dayaks in these two areas because we are going to face a lot of educated Dayaks (in the election) and they know where they stand,'

He said the main hurdle BN was going to face in the next state election would be in the Dayak-majority seats.

“That’s why I am monitoring this (list),” said Masing, showing the list of the 29 Dayak-majority seats for the next state election.

Masing said there was a need to focus on the 29 seats in order for the state BN to continue winning the state election with a big majority.

PBB has the fixed deposit (27 seats) that you cannot touch, which are Muslim-majority areas while the Dayak community has 29 seats and these are where the attack will be from the opposition.

“We have to work harder because it is not going to be easy. There will be a lot of work to do in the next two years,” said the Sarawak Land Development Minister.

Masing also stressed on the need for BN component parties to be united,adding that he had full trust in Adenan with his intelligence and would be able to solve the conflict within two BN component parties in Sarawak – Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).

He said the problem needed to be solved to enable BN to face the opposition with full strength in the next state election.

“All he (Adenan) needs to do now is to get the cooperation of all the various component parties.

“Tan Sri Adenan has the intelligence to do that, but intelligence must be translated into political reality. We have to be united and work harder because it is not going to be easy,” he added.

Sarawak has 71 state seats, of which 55 were won by BN in the last state election in 2011.

PBB won all the 35 seats it contested while SUPP only managed to win six out of 19 seats it contested, PRS won eight out of nine seats and SPDP won six out of eight seats they contested.

DAP contested in 15 seats and won 12, PKR contested in 49 seats and won three, while only one out of 41 Independent candidates won a seat.

PAS, Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) failed in their attempts to win any seat. 

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Adenan to retain cabinet members but make changes in various portfolios

Adenan Satem (left) hugs Abdul Taib Mahmud after PBB meeting.   

Sarawak Special Functions Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who will assume duties as the fifth Chief Minister of Sarawak effective March 1, said the current state cabinet members will be retained.

However, he said, there would be a reshuffle in the various ministerial portfolios.

Adenan told a press conference that there was a need to maintain the spirit of team work in the state cabinet.

Nevertheless, he said would discuss the matter with the  cabinet members first, including the possibility of the deputy minister post previously vacated by Tan Sri Dr George Chan being filled again.

Pledging that he would become the chief minister for the people of all races, including those from the opposition parties, he said: "Even though we differ in political views, regard me as the chief minister for all because we are all Malaysians and Sarawakians."

When asked if his appointment, which was announced by Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud last Wednesday, was due to his loyalty to his Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and the latter, he replied in jest: "Thank you for the compliments directed at me and I hope it will not make me big-headed."

On the challenges he expected to face upon assuming the leadership of the state government, Adenan said he would try to resolve the internal conflicts currently faced by two Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties, namely the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

He said the internal conflicts being faced by SUPP and SPDP must be resolved before the 11th state election is held in 2016, adding that he have the formula for that but did want do reveal it at this point of time.

“I want to thank the people of Sarawak of all races and from all walk of life for their words of praise, messages of congratulations and prayers, especially Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the chief minister (Taib) for their confidence in him,” said Adenan.

He also expressed his gratitude to state Tourism and Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is also PBB deputy president and Second Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who is also PBB senior vice-president, for supporting his appointment as the next chief minister.

He said following the support given by the two PBB leaders, he would ensure that there would not be any disunity or factions within PBB even though some outsiders would like to see the backbone of the state BN fragmented.

At the media conference in Kuching on Friday, Adenan, who was flanked by his two sons, Abdul Aziz, 47, and Azizul Annuar, 23, said his selection as the new chief minister was made after the PBB supreme council members at a meeting last Saturday gave Taib the mandate to choose his successor.

"He (Taib) did not want to do so but we (supreme council members) made him obliged to make his choice and thank you lah for choosing me," he said.

Prior to that, he said Taib had never openly informed him he would appoint him as his successor while his meeting with the former in Mecca while performing the umrah was a coincidence.

"I did not go there with him (Taib), I happened to meet him there. Actually I had intended to perform the umrah for a long time after I recovered from my illness," he said.

On his health, Adenan admitted he had fallen ill last year and was awarded at the National Heart Institute in Kuala Lumpur and Mount Elizabeth hospital in Singapore but had a clean bill of health now.

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