Mawan (seated centre) fields questions from the press.
KUCHING: Dissatisfied SPDP members should conduct themselves in a mature and professional manner in public and stop airing their grouses through the media.
Its president Tan Sri William Mawan advised members not to take pride in spilling their dissatisfaction all over in trying to prove who’s right and who’s wrong.
While it was deemed healthy and democratic for members to make known their opinions in public, he said there was a limit to what one could do when addressing party problems through the press.
He said now was the time for the party to discuss the right steps and actions to take, rather than having everyone pointing fingers at each other.
Mawan advised disgruntled individuals to utilise all available venues and forums to discuss their predicaments. He said he would initiate some kind of meeting where everybody could voice out their opinions if this could calm everybody and end all disputes.
He added that apart from SPDP’s next triennial general assembly which is only a year away, the party has various forums and avenues to discuss its problems.
“It is human nature that when one argues, one always wants to come out on top. One wants to be looked as the better person, being right all along. I want these things to stop. Try to use other available avenues to address party problems and grouses.
“I am sure everybody will come to their senses and will talk,” he told a press conference at Kuching International Airport VIP lounge here yesterday.
Mawan went on to say that it was important for all party members to act with caution, have restraint and be more responsible when airing their opinions in public.
The internal party feud started following disapproval of some party members over the reinstatement of SPDP former elected representatives namely Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian, Datuk Sylvester Entri (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau).
They were part of a Group of Five (G5), which included former Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe, sacked by SPDP between November 2011 and January 2012 for gross insubordination.
“Internal bickering and disagreements are normal in all political parties be it the BN or the opposition. It is something we cannot avoid as differences are necessary for any political party to get through from one point or another.
“I’m sure this thing will die down soon. Meanwhile, we will try to contain the matter so that it would not spill over and affect the government and BN as a whole,”
On the party’s future amid the ongoing internal dispute, Mawan believed that SPDP had strong acquaintances and supporters who would come around to help its members see the clearer picture.
“We will get through this. We will be alright, I can feel it,” he added,