Mawan ready for Saratok

SPDP chief says he’s willing to contest for the sake of BN and party survival

KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Tan Sri William Mawan looks ready to defend Saratok for the BN in the coming general election if the top Barisan Nasional leaders should nominate him.

The Minister of Social Development said he was more than willing to contest in Saratok if it meant winning the seat for the BN, the party’s survival and for the sake of BN as a whole.

“However, we cannot and should not conclude things ourselves at this moment because the proposed list is subject to a review by the top (BN) leadership,” he said.

Mawan was posed this public query after the presentation of more than RM5 million in government grants to 45 sports associations and six youth organisations at the civic centre here yesterday.

“If it’s a decision from the top to make BN win then let’s forget about personal opinions feelings. I am willing to stand in Saratok for the sake of BN, for the sake of the party and for the sake of winning,” he said.

Mawan said he had been working around –the-clock in constituencies entrusted to SPDP namely Baram, Mas Gading, Saratok and Bintulu “to ensure that the weaker areas become stronger over time but this does not imply that I want to be the candidate”.

Mawan used to be elusive on the (Saratok) subject saying instead that any rumour on it was just ‘coffee shop talk’. His body language, however, suggested that he was quite worried about the state of affair in the Iban-majority constituency following the BN’s defeat in Krian in the last state polls. Krian and Kalaka are two state seats under Saratok.

PKR has indicated that Krian assemblyman Ali Biju would contest in Saratok this time around.

On a related subject Mawan said that no one could rule out the possibility of a last minute change of candidate in Baram “until the final list is out”. The incumbent MP is Datuk Jacob Sagan who is also the Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry.

“As far as SPDP is concerned the supreme council has already made the decision a long time ago. But as loyal member of the big BN family we cannot and should not conclude anything, especially on the choice of candidates, ourselves.

SUMBER:theborneopost