FUMING: Joshua (left) and Engkas talk to The Borneo Post.
MIRI: Supporters of the G5 have lambasted SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan for being ‘blind’ to political realities and twisting the truth about the five elected representatives (G5) who were sacked from the party more than a year ago for gross insubordination.
Former SPDP Nabor branch secretary Joshua Dungkong said accusing the G5 of being disloyal BN members and possessing personal agendas was hard to stomach as the dismal position the party was in right now was due to the inept leadership of Mawan.
“Has he forgotten how (the now defunct) SNAP split up? He is the one who led us out to form SPDP, and history is now repeating itself with him as party president.”
Joshua said yesterday that Mawan’s veiled attack were ‘unfair, baseless and provocative’.
Without naming names, Mawan was quoted as saying during a 1Malaysia gathering with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at Siniawan old bazaar on Jan 27 that G5 members could not be trusted and that they would not bring any good to the people
who had placed their trust in them.
“Being loyal to Barisan Nasional is reflected in your loyalty to your component party. No one should use BN’s name for personal gains.”
Among those present at that function were Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe and Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian. Together with Datuk Sylvester Entri (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau), they later formed the yet-to-be-registered BN Club.
Dr Tiki had insisted that he would defend Mas Gading in the impending elections, even if he had to stand as an independent. SPDP, on the other hand, had nominated Salcra deputy general manager Anthony Nogeh for the seat.
In October last year, Joshua had hit out at Mawan, who is also Minister of Social Development, for not being able to differentiate between the opposition and BN camps, arguing that although the G5 had left the party, they never left the BN.
He claimed that BN Club supporters wanted Mawan to stop making statements that could harm BN stability in the coming polls.
Accompanied by longhouse chief Tuai Rumah Engkas of Sungai Mallang Sanin, Joshua said Mawan should be focusing on the coming polls to ensure that the BN win big.
“There is no denying that there is friction between BN Club members in Mas Gading, Saratok and Baram, but members at the grassroots know fully well that now is not the time to fight.”