Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Masa yang sesuai untuk SPDP, SUPP bergabung

Ia ekoran kemunculan TERAS yang dianggap sebagai kuasa baharu yang wajar diberi pertimbangan


KUCHING: Sekarang adalah masa yang sesuai bagi Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) dan Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak (SUPP) untuk menghidupkan semula idea menggabungkan kedua-dua parti politik itu.

Penganalisis Politik Dr Jeniri Amir berkata ia ekoran daripada perubahan drastik dalam landskap politik negeri disebabkan kemunculan TERAS yang dianggap oleh ramai pemimpin Barisan Nasional (BN) sebagai kuasa baharu yang wajar diberi pertimbangan serius.

Katanya beliau tidak melihat sebarang masalah bagi BN meneliti idea tersebut bukan sahaja kerana politik adalah sesuatu yang tidak mustahil tetapi juga mungkin mahu penyelesaian ini mengurangkan, jika tidak menamatkan semua perbalahan dan perselisihan dalam BN.

Menurutnya, idea itu bukan sesuatu yang baharu daripadanya kerana pada suatu ketika pada tahun ini, SPDP dan SUPP ada bermain-main dengan idea tersebut selepas ia dicadangkan pada satu majlis makan malam ramah mesra BN dihadiri tetamu kehormat dan Timbalan Presiden SPDP ketika itu Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing di Miri.

Ketika itu Presiden SUPP Tan Sri Peter Chin memberi gambaran beliau bersedia untuk mengadakan perbincangan lanjut mengenai idea itu manakala Tiong membayangkan SPDP terbuka kepada idea tersebut, ujar Jeniri.

Rentetan daripada itu, Setiausaha Agung SPDP Datuk Nelson Balang Rining, Ketua Pemuda SPDP Robert Ayu dan Ketua Wanita SPDP Datuk Chiew Yen Chew muncul dalam laporan media untuk mengisytiharkan sokongan mereka kepada idea itu.

Bagaimanapun kata Jeniri, Tiong dan Chin menafikan mereka telah memulakan idea itu dengan mendakwa mereka tidak pernah berjumpa dengan Menteri Dalam Negeri untuk membincangkan penggabungan dan ia dinafikan selepas Timbalan Presiden SUPP Datuk Richard Riot menolak idea tersebut.

Jeniri berpendapat SPDP dan SUPP mungkin perlu bergabung untuk menambah jumlah kerusi mereka memandangkan TERAS dijangka akan membuat tuntutan mereka ke atas 12 kerusi yang pada asalnya atau mengikut tradisi diperuntukkan oleh BN kepada SPDP (yang melibatkan lima kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) dan dua kerusi Parlimen), SUPP (lima kerusi DUN) dan Parti Rakyat Sarawak atau PRS (melibatkan satu kerusi iaitu DUN Pelagus).

Hakikat ini tidak dapat diketepikan jika BN pada akhirnya nanti membenarkan wakil rakyat dalam TERAS untuk mengekalkan kerusi yang mereka menangi dalam parti lama dan bertanding di sana di bawah TERAS, tambahnya.

Jeniri turut berkata: “Dengan perkembangan terbaharu dalam politik negeri dan menilai daripada sambutan yang positif kepada kemunculan TERAS oleh ramai pemimpin PBB – tonggak dan tulang belakang BN Negeri, saya rasa, sudah tiba masanya bagi SPDP dan SUPP untuk menghidupkan semula idea tentang penggabungan.

“Penggabungan ini juga boleh menjadi penyelesaian menang-menang bagi SPDP-SUPP dan TERAS yang saya lihat sebagai satu penggabungan di antara kumpulan serpihan daripada SUPP, SPDP dan SWP.

“Saya tidak tahu bagaimana reaksi parti komponen BN kepada semua ini tetapi idea penggabungan ini bukan perkara baharu.

“Hakikatnya seluruh BN Negeri perlu bermuhasabah diri dengan mencuba formula baharu bagi mengurangkan perbalahan dan perselisihan yang tidak perlu mengenai kerusi dan dendam peribadi jika mereka tidak mahu pengundi menjadi bosan dengan mereka.

“Penggabungan parti BN tidak mustahil. Ia banyak bergantung kepada tahap komitmen untuk mengurangkan perbalahan supaya mereka dapat memberi khidmat yang lebih baik kepada rakyat. Ingatlah, Pilihan Raya Negeri seterusnya akan diadakan tidak lama lagi,” ujarnya.

“Satu lagi sebab kenapa SPDP dan SUPP harus bergabung ialah kerana kedudukan mereka sekarang digugat oleh kemunculan TERAS.

“Ia adalah paling baik bagi mereka (SPDP dan SUPP) untuk bergabung, kerana mereka pernah menyetujuinya sebelum ini.

“Saya tahu ia tidak semudah ABC kerana mereka memiliki ciri, struktur dan perjuangan asal yang berlainan tetapi tidak ada salahnya mencuba selagi penggabungan itu dapat mengukuhkan lagi BN secara keseluruhannya.

“Jika ada kesediaan, keazaman politik yang kuat, jika semua mereka berfikiran terbuka, sanggup berkompromi dan sangat ikhlas, ia boleh dilakukan.

“Lagipun, jika semua pemimpin TERAS yang berasal daripada pelbagai latar belakang menunjukkan mereka dapat bergabung demi perpaduan BN, kenapa SPDP dan SUPP tidak boleh?” katanya.

Mengenai bantahan beberapa parti pembangkang terhadap TERAS, Jeniri berkata beliau hairan dengan bantahan mereka kerana penggabungan yang mungkin berlaku di antara parti-parti BN tidak ada kaitan dengan parti pembangkang atau mungkin juga mereka bimbang dengan cara baharu yang diamalkan oleh BN dalam tindak-tanduknya.

Friday, 16 May 2014

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.




Peter Chin dares Wong to vacate state seat

KUCHING: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Tan Sri Peter Chin (pic) has challenged former SUPP Sibu chief Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh to vacate his Bawang Assan seat.

Chin threw this challenge following Wong’s public announcement yesterday afternoon at a press conference at the State Legislative Assembly here that he had quit SUPP to join the new party Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).

“He (Wong) should resign from his seat as he has won it as SUPP candidate of Barisan Nasional.

“Now as he has joined another party which is not a BN component party, he should give up his seat,” Chin told The Borneo Post over a telephone interview.

Chin further challenged Wong to test his popularity with Bawang Assan voters.

Wong joined SUPP since 1981. He first contested in Igan constituency in 1987 and lost to David Tiong Chiong Chi of Permas by 23 votes.

In 1991, he stood for SUPP in Bawang Assan and won. This is his fifth term as Bawang Assan state assemblyman.

Responding to Chin’s statement, Wong said Chin did not have the right to ask him to resign as Bawang Assan assemblyman to pave way for a by-election.

He said Chin’s suggestion was a hasty decision that did not take the bigger picture into consideration.

“Whatever will happen next will be decided by the top leadership of BN. Chin does not have to waste his breath to continue to find fault with me. I have decided not to engage in further squabbles with him but put more effort in looking into the interests of the people,” said Wong in a statement.

On his own sacking by SUPP, Wong said Chin’s faction had already held a meeting to sack him some time ago.

“For SUPP to announce that I have been sacked now is meant to cover up what has already been carried out in that meeting. That has been one of the reasons why SUPP grassroots have been bearing grudge against Chin and his faction. We have been suppressed for so long and the grassroots believe that we should not give in anymore,” said the Local Government and Community Development Minister.


See believes Adenan plays a role in Teras episode

KUCHING: Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How says the chief minister and his state government have their finger prints all over on the latest twist in the migration of 11 elected representatives to Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).

He believed Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem and his cabinet colleagues were sending a message to the federal not to meddle into the affairs of the state Barisan Nasional (BN).

“It is the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues sending a message to federal not to meddle into the state BN’s affairs,” See said.

See said it has been clear that the impasse in the two BN component parties SPDP and SUPP was caused by the federal interference.

“Without his blessings, there is no way two state ministers, four assistant ministers, three BN assemblymen and a BN members of parliament would leave their BN component parties and cross over to Teras.”

See, who is also state PKR vice chairman, added that the state BN or these 10 former BN elected representatives might say that the move was to save BN in the face of troubles in SPDP and SUPP but he believed there was more to it.

“This is a move to reshuffle the cards in the state BN, apparently in accordance with the chief minister’s plan.” See said.

See believed George Lagong is the odd one out among those who jumped into the bandwagon and probably saw it as an opportunity for him to “change his colours”.

Tan Sri William Mawan and Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh yesterday shocked Sarawak with their move to quit their respective parties to join Teras although they had hinted their intention in recent weeks.

Mawan drops Teras bombshell

Mawan (seated centre) addressing a packed press conference to announce that the 10 BN elected representatives are quitting SPDP and SUPP to join Teras. He is flanked by Wong and Nansian (left). — Photo by Chimon Upon

SPDP president, SUPP Sibu branch chief quit parties to join Teras with 8 other BN lawmakers, 1 from SWP


KUCHING: Ten state Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers and Baram MP Anyi Ngau, led by beleaguered party leaders Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom and Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, have quit Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) to join newly-formed Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).

Joining former SPDP president Mawan and former SUPP Sibu branch chief Wong are state assemblymen Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie (Tasik Biru), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran (Marudi) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau) from SPDP and Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa (Engkilili) and Ranum Mina (Opar) from SUPP.

A surprise inclusion was opposition Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) deputy president George Lagong who is Pelagus assemblyman.

Mawan made the announcement at a packed press conference held at the media centre of the State Legislative Assembly building after adjournment of the assembly sitting yesterday.

He said his decision to quit followed attempts to “elbow him out” of SPDP because several party leaders were against the recent reinstatement of Nansian, Rosey, Entri and Paulus into the party.

“The reason I brought them back was to strengthen the party. Our decision today is made out of our common desire to continue serving and consolidating Barisan Nasional and solving our problems in SPDP (and SUPP).

“This is not the case of a captain abandoning his ship but more of a mutiny. Somehow, the captain has been thrown overboard. With a big number with us, we hope the state Barisan can accommodate us,” he added.

Mawan said they would apply to become a BN component party.

He believed Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem would work out a formula for them to be included in accordance with the BN Plus arrangement if Teras faced resistance from SUPP or SPDP. Stressing that Teras is a multi-racial party, Mawan called on SPDP and SUPP members to join them in the new political vehicle.

Wong who had been at loggerheads with SUPP president Tan Sri Peter Chin, also spoke at the conference.

“I decided to quit after finding out nothing was forthcoming from the peace plan for SUPP as proposed by the top BN leadership.

“Because of the breakdown in the peace plan, we don’t want to keep quarrelling. We are tired of it. We have to go,” he said.

Asked if there were any other elected representatives who had expressed interest in joining Teras, Mawan said the party is open to all YBs who believe in their struggle.

He said the group was also working to accommodate three state PKR assemblymen – Baru Bian (Ba Kelalan), See Chee How (Batu Lintang) and Ali Biju (Krian) if they were interested to join Teras as part of the party’s consolidation process in preparation for the upcoming state election.

Mawan was adamant, however, that the party had no room for SPDP deputy president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, quipping: “We can’t have two tigers on one mountain.”

Teras’ registration was approved by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) last September. Its current president is Domini Siron Rujin, a general manager of an insurance company here while secretary-general is Banyi Beriak, former SPDP executive secretary.

Teras welcomes 11 new members into its fold

KUCHING: Tan Sri William Mawan and Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh led eight other state Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers to quit their respective parties to join Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras). Among the members are four from Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) namely Datuk Peter Nansian, Datuk Sylvester Entri, Paulus Palu Gumbang, Rosey Yunus and Baram MP Anyi Ngau.

Mawan said the door was still open to other interested representatives including Anthony Nogeh and Wong Judat. He stressed, however, there was no room for SPDP deputy president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.Mawan surprised the room when he announced Teras was also working to accommodate three Parti Keadilan Rakyat representatives if they were interested in joining the political entity.

From Sarawak United Peoples Party, Soon Koh is joined by Dr Johnical Rayong, Dr Jerip Susil and Ranum Mina.A surprise inclusion is Pelagus assemblyman George Lagong of Sarawak Workers Party (SWP).Nansian mentioned that Teras would soon submit its application to join BN. The party will also start working on its new protem committee lineup.With this new lineup, Teras has two ministers and four assistant ministers.

Wong Soon Koh quits SUPP, announces ‘defections’ to Teras

  


KUCHING: Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has quit the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).

He is currently holding a press conference on Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).

The party claims to have 11 elected representatives – four formerly from SUPP, six formerly from the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and former Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) deputy president George Lagong, who is Pelagus assemblyman.

Also at the press conference are former SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom and Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie.