Chaos if Teras is admitted into BN, warns SPDP

Dukau Papau

In yet another warning to the leaders of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) not to admit Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) into the Sarawak BN fold, the Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) said there will be chaos if this is done.

The warning came from SPDP acting president Tiong King Sing, who referred to a statement by Teras president William Ikom that he would discuss his party’s application to join BN with Chief Minister and state BN chairperson Adenan Satem after Hari Raya.

Although Tiong, who is the MP for Bintulu did not specifically mention Adenan and PBB in his strongly worded statement, it was obvious that he was referring to PBB, which is the backbone of the state BN and the state government.

Some PBB leaders have openly expressed support for Teras to be admitted into the BN.

‘Teras will ignite all-out feud in BN’

Tiong said: “Teras will ignite an all-out feud within the state Barisan Nasional if it is allowed into the coalition.

“Teras has already declared war on SPDP even before it submitted its application to join BN.

“How can Teras expect SPDP to ever agree to its admission into BN when, even before applying for admission, its president declares he wants to destroy SPDP?

“It is ironic that Mawan has already sown discord in BN by saying that he is prepared to ‘lock horns’ with SPDP, and yet declare that the formation of Teras is to bring stability to BN!”

Mawan has also said that he wants Teras to “take whatever is in SPDP”.

Tiong said that the fact that Mawan wanted to take over SPDP in BN was already rocking the BN boat, and that Mawan did not understand the spirit of cooperation among the BN component parties.

Mawan was elected as Teras president last Saturday. Four former SPDP elected representatives – Peter Nansian (Tasik Biru), Sylvester Entri (Marudi), Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau) and Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) were also elected as office-bearers of the new party.

In his first media conference as Teras president, Mawan said Teras was prepared to “to lock horns” with any BN party that opposed its entry into the BN.

“Teras is prepared to do whatever is necessary to ensure its survival and for that we are prepared to lock horns with SPDP in the coming state election, if that is what we need to do,” he had said, declaring that the intention was to get whatever was owned by SPDP.

Under the BN agreement and understanding, the SPDP is allocated eight seats to contest in the Sarawak state election – Tasik Biru, Krian, Pakan, Meluan, Marudi, Bekenu, Batu Danau and Ba’Kelalan.

Five of these seats are now held by Mawan and his men in Teras.
Tiong has declared that the party will not give up the eight seats, including the five now held by the Teras members – and that Teras will not, under any circumstance, be allowed to contest in any of these seats.

“I will not give away any seat. I will defend what is rightfully ours,” Tiong added.