Mawan rubbished Larry Sng in Meluan rumour

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Mawan rubbished Larry Sng in Meluan rumour

SIBU, Dec.16 (Bernama) — Talk is rife that the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party will swap Meluan for Kidurong with the Sarawak United People’s Party for the state election, which must be called before June 2011.

SPDP president Datuk Sri William Mawan Ikom is not amused, not least of all because Meluan is a Barisan Nasional stronghold while Kidurong is the DAP’s.

He dismissed the speculation as “coffee shop talk” and asserted that Meluan will always be SPDP territory.

Mawan questioned the motive of the speculators, with rumours of personality clashes abounding as politicians jockey for position for the coming polls.

“Are they trying to get me to be at loggerheads with (SUPP president) Tan Sri (Dr George) Chan?”

According to one scenario, SPDP’s Wong anak Judat, serving his second term as Meluan assemblyman, will not be re-nominated and his Iban majority seat will be contested by a Chinese candidate from SUPP.

In the exchange, SPDP treasurer-general and Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing will vie for the mixed Kidurong seat held by DAP deputy state chairman Chew Chiu Sing, now in his fourth electoral term.

SUPP is said to be planning to field Pelagus state assemblyman Larry Sng, an assistant minister in the chief minister’s office, in Meluan.

Sng has been sacked from Parti Rakyat Sarawak after a falling out with PRS president Datuk Sri Dr.James Jemut Masing.

This means that Sng, seen as a upcoming Chinese leader by some, will have to join SUPP first.

But Meluan voters are not likely to lay out the red carpet for Larry Sng although his father Datuk Sng Chee Hua had been a two-term MP for Julau.

The many press statements issued recently advocating that Wong’s replacement should be a local-born and an Iban are indicative of the sentiment on the ground.

At least five locals have lobbied to be candidate in place of Wong, who has been criticised for alleged aggressiveness and lack of tack in handling certain issues.

So does this mean the end for Wong?

Mawan said that SPDP had endorsed Wong as candidate, but the final say would have to come from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as Barisan Nasional chairman and Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud as state BN head.

He believes that Wong can defend Meluan.

“If he can retain around 40 per cent of his voters, and leaders and supporters of BN component parties continue to support him in the interest and spirit of Barisan, he can and will deliver,” Mawan said.

Mawan, who is the State the Minister of Social Development and Urbanisation, said SPDP would give special attention to the Ba Kelalan constituency.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat state chief Baru Bian, a leading Lun Bawang lawyer on native customary rights to land, is expected to challenge incumbent Nelson Balang Rining, the SPDP secretary-general, for the seat.

Mawan said: “There may be people out there who think that Balang is not as strong as we think he is. But this is disputable. I have been to the area.”

Mawan believes that Balang can pull through although with a reduced majority.

If Baru is indeed contesting, the Kelabit community will be for Balang. But the Lun Bawang community will be split, he said.

On the party’s overall preparations for the state elections, Mawan said the SPDP was fully ready to defend the eight seats it holds.

“We want to deliver Pakan, Meluan, Krian, Marudi, Tasik Biru, Bekenu, Batu Danau nand Ba Kelalan again to Barisan Nasional,” he said. –BERNAMA