SIBU: SPDP’s pick for Mas Gading, Anthony Nogeh, received further boost for him to defend the seat for BN when the party’s 11 divisions from the central region declared their all-out support for him.
At a press conference here last week, the group openly declared their support for Nogeh, which political observers believed would further consolidate his chance of getting endorsed by BN top leadership.
In the words of SPDP deputy secretary-general Paul Igai, Nogeh was the right choice based on his popularity and high work rate and that he had the qualities of a winnable candidate as proven by the backing from PBB and SUPP branches in Opar and Tasik Biru.
“So you see, not only SPDP has confidence in Anthony (Nogeh) to be the right choice but also PBB, SUPP and the local community, who are equally confident in him to deliver the seat for BN. And this is a very positive indication.
“He is hard working and a qualified lawyer, hailing from a model Bidayuh family whose siblings are all graduates and doing very well,” Igai told The Borneo Post in reaffirming SPDP’s stand on Nogeh as candidate.
“Even those in the list earlier had pledged to support him (Nogeh) and had assisted him and would continue to do so.
“This is indeed very positive and we seldom hear this thing happening in other areas,” Igai remarked, referring to Tasik Biru SPDP information chief and businessman Henry Hary Jinep, who was earlier in the running but had decided to withdraw.
As such, he said they wanted to dispel rumours that Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe was likely to be re-nominated as a BN direct candidate.
“You see, we don’t want that to be used as a tool against the nomination of our candidate,” he said, adding that BN had always subscribed to the principle that a nominee ought to be a BN member.
Meanwhile, party president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom urged party members to remain calm and rational with regards to candidacy matters.
Mawan was reported to have said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had the final say on the candidates for Mas Gading, Saratok, Bintulu and Baram.
The ‘tussle’ for Mas Gading started when BN Club was said to have also staked their claim on the seat, recommending Dr Tiki as BN candidate.
The BN club was set up by the five elected representatives, namely Dr Tiki, assemblymen Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie (Tasik Biru), Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus
Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau) after they were sacked by SPDP more than a year ago.
SPDP is also facing ‘assault’ from the opposition front such as Pakatan Rakyat and STAR who are keen to test the waters in Mas Gading.
STAR had announced its vice-president and former MP Patrick Anek Urek as its candidate to contest against BN there.