Six Northern Region SPDP Divisions Propose Tiong As Deputy President

Six Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) divisions in the northern region yesterday proposed that treasurer-general Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing become its next deputy president to succeed Datuk Peter Nyarok Entrie.

In other words, Tiong, the Bintulu MP, would be made the second man at the party’s March 18 triennial general assembly (TGA) in Bintulu, said deputy secretary general Paul Igai upon his arrival here from Miri.

Igai, who is political secretary to the chief minister, said the divisions also proposed that Nyarok be elevated to honorary life president.

Apart from that, they recommended that president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom be retained at the helm, he added.

Mawan is Social Development Minister while Tiong is federal BN Backbenchers Club chairman.

Three representatives, namely Andrew Abak (Bekenu), Stewart Aying (Lambir) as well as Gabriel Jolly and Dominic Sagan (Telang Usan) requested that SPDP monitors the negative political activities of the ‘detractors’ on the ground and report their activities to Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders for appropriate action.

Attending the meeting were divisional chairmen, deputy chairmen, secretaries and treasurers from SPDP Telang Usan, Lambir, Bekenu, Senadin, Piasau and Pujut. The joint meeting held at Telang Usan Hotel Miri was chaired by political secretary to the chief minister Peter Howell Jilan.

Igai said: “Let the party not be distracted. It is time to move forward. Let the party be steadfast in maintaining the quota of federal and state seats given to SPDP.”

He stressed that the party’s priority now was to win all four parliamentary seats of Mas Gading, Saratok, Bintulu and Baram for BN in the coming general election.

Other political secretaries to the chief minister attending the Miri meeting were Kijan Toynbee and Liew Ah Lek.

Meanwhile, SPDP Piasau Youth chief James Joshua said: “We urge all party members to be focused on the coming election and not be distracted by the action of sacked members of the party.”

He was referring to the five party-less elected representatives who had been booted out by the party for committing gross insubordination and undermining party stability.