SPDP Youth declares support for Mawan

By Joseph Tawie

Disgruntled Marudi village chiefs hit out at a SPDP division leader for meddling.

KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) Youth has slammed the actions of some community leaders in Ulu Teru, Marudi, who are trying to prevent SPDP president William Mawan from visiting the area.

Mawan is scheduled to visit Ulu Teru, which comes under the state constituency of Marudi, on Oct 22.

The constituency is represented by errant SPDP member, Sylvester Entri.

Entri is a member of the rebellious “SPDP 5” gang which is in the centre of a bitter dispute with Mawan.

The group comprised assemblymen Peter Nansian (Tasik Biru), Entri, Rosey Yunus (Berkenu) and Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau) and parliamentarian Dr Tiki Lafe (Mas Gading).

Said SPDP Youth chief Cr Robert Ayu: “I think the action of the community leaders to stop Mawan from visiting the area is too extreme.”

He was asked to comment on a news report about the action of the Ulu Teru leaders, which appeared in the local dailies.

He said the executive committee members of SPDP Youth were fully behind Mawan.

“The committee met in Kuching yesterday. We have discussed the problem and our stand is, we have full confidence in Mawan’s leadership and stand solidly behind him to solve the internal problem,” said Ayu.

Dispute out of control

Ayu said although the Youth wing had todate not made any statement over its stand, the dispute between the SPDP 5 and Mawan seemed to have spiralled out of control.

“All along we have not made any statement on the matter ever since the bickering was published in the papers… we have full confidence in our president to solve it amicably.

“But lately it has gone out of control, and we have to make our stand with regard to the newspaper report,” he said.

He expressed regret over the use of words such as “we declare world war III” on Mawan.

“I think this was made at the spur of the moment and we hope the assemblyman who said it did not mean it literally,” said Ayu.

He also said it was not fair to label the five as SPDP 5 or the “rebel 5”.

“We don’t condone the use of these words. We always refer them as our YB Berhormat,” he said, adding that there is still room for reconciliation.

“If need be, the Youth wing is prepared to mediate between the president and the group,” he added.

Leaders condemn Mawan

Meanwhile in a signed statement yesterday, the Ulu Teru community leaders – Tuai Rumah Henry Gomes, Tuai Rumah Abok Jabu and Cr Kalang Ami – described Mawan’s visit to Rumah Henry Chaling as highly inappropriate.

The visit was organised by SPDP Samarahan division deputy chairman Alexander Asing who had publicly ridiculed Entri for disrespecting Mawan.

Entri is the Assistant Public Utilities Minister as well as Assistant Agriculture Minister in Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s state Cabinet.

The community chiefs said that the visit would further create factions not only among the SPDP members, but also supporters of Barisan Nasional in Ulu Teru as Mawan seemed to condone the remarks made by Asing.

The longhouse chiefs said that the area is the stronghold of Entri, adding that Asing should organise a function for Mawan in Samarahan where his division is.

“He (Asing) is not a member of SPDP Marudi division. Why should he organise functions in Ulu Teru?

“If the function is organised under the BN or Mawan’s Social Development Ministry to prepare for the general election, it should include Entri as the Marudi assemblyman.

“Otherwise, it is tantamount to back-stabbing Entri and BN as a whole,” they said, condemning Mawan for using Asing to organise the function.

They also condemned the party leadership for initiating disciplinary actions against the five rebels.

Source : FMT