SIBU: Going against SPDP is like opposing Barisan Nasional (BN), says SPDP deputy secretary-general Paul Igai.
He pointed out that the reminder was clearly spelt out in the statement by PBB Opar branch chairman Datuk Peter Minos that SPDP is a BN component party and as such PBB would accordingly respect SPDP’s decisions.
Igai was referring to SPDP’s decision to nominate Anthony Nogeh Gumbek to replace incumbent MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe in Mas Gading this general election.
What makes the situation murky is that the BN Club is also staking its claim on the seat, recommending Dr Tiki as BN candidate.
Dr Tiki, assemblymen Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie (Tasik Biru), Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau) set up the BN Club after they were shown the door by SPDP.
A media report had quoted Minos, who is also PBB deputy information chief, as saying it was public knowledge that SPDP had decided that Nogeh would be its candidate for Mas Gading and that they in PBB would respect that decision.
Minos had also said it was not their business at the branch level to question the decision of BN top leaders or any BN component party.
Minos was also quoted to have called for those calling themselves BN members or BN-friendly to immediately stop the bickering as it was detrimental to the ruling coalition.
To this, Igai said: “We support the call by Minos to put a stop to all the bickering.”
“And stop dragging and pushing around community leaders into believing something that is not true,” he added.
Igai pointed out that the community leaders were very much BN loyalists, adding “BN top leadership knows best to handle the process of candidate selection.”
Meanwhile, a multi-cornered fight is inevitable in Mas Gading as besides opposition parties such as PKR and DAP, STAR had expressed interest to contest there.
However, PKR and DAP appear to be at loggerheads in Mas Gading as both sides claim to have the best possible candidate for the seat.
SNAP, which had earlier indicated that it would field a candidate in Mas Gading, may be compelled to back out from the contest following its deregistration.
Past president of the now defunct party, Edwin Dundang, had advised former comrades not to stand as independent candidates in the coming election.