Mas Gading MP decides to stay put with SPDP

KUCHING: Mas Gading MP Anthony Nogeh has decided to stick with Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP).

He said he will not be following Tan Sri William Mawan, who quit as SPDP president to join Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).

“I’m not joining Teras, but stay with SPDP,” Nogeh said when contacted yesterday, soon after Mawan announced his decision to quit. With Mawan and Anyie joining Teras, SPDP is now left with two MPs Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (Bintulu) and Nogeh.

Meanwhile, SPDP has four political secretaries to Chief Minister – Paul Igai, Liew Ah Lek, Kijan Toynbee and Peter Howell Jilan.

Later after the press conference when asked whether all of them have decided to join Teras, Mawan replied that two of them are with Teras, while the other two “are on the way” but did not give names.

However, it was reliably believed that Liew and Paul have decided to stay with SPDP, while Kijan and Howell decided to follow the former president.

Mawan was also asked whether Teras will accept former Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, if the latter decided to join the party.

“If he (decided to join Teras), we will give serious consideration since he is a former Mas Gading MP and one of the founders of SPDP,” the Saratok MP said.

Dr Tiki when contacted said he did not want to commit himself on the subject matter at the moment.

“Let me see the situation first, but at the moment I will not want to say anything,” Dr Tiki said.