Masing warns of fallout if Donald contests

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KUCHING: If businessman Donald Lawan contested as an independent in Sri Aman in the coming general election, there might be repercussions, cautioned PRS president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing.

He said this when asked about a front-page article in an Iban tabloid ‘Buletin Kenyalang’ which reported that Donald would contest as an independent because several quarters were unhappy with Sri Aman MP Masir Kujat.

“It’s up to him (Donald) to contest. This is after all a free country and we practice democracy. But he must remember the repercussions because his son (Balai Ringin assemblyman Snowdan Lawan) is in BN,” Masing said yesterday.

Buletin Kenyalang also carried a separate story supporting Donald to stand as an independent and the reasons why he makes a good candidate.

The tabloid also claimed that if he won, Donald would face little problems to be accepted into BN.

The articles came as a surprise for many political observers because Donald is closely linked to Masir, and helped to campaign for Masir when he stood in the 2008 general election.

Snowdan, on the other hand, is deputy secretary-general of PRS. It was not immediately known if the supposed move by Donald to contest was to stop a new BN candidate chosen by PRS for the Sri Aman seat from
winning.

Masing said as far as PRS was concerned, the party had recommended Masir to defend Sri Aman.

“As far as we are concerned, he (Masir) is one of the six nominees recommended by PRS for the coming election.”