MORALE BOOSTER: Mawan (second left) receiving an envelope containing 74 SPDP membership applications from Yusuf, a former PKR member. Photo by Churchill Edward
SARATOK: The state Barisan Nasional (BN) yesterday received a morale booster when another group of 74 former PKR members indicated that they wanted to join SPDP.
Leader of the defectors, Yusuf Terang from Kampung Melango Baru here handed over membership application forms to SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom before they proceeded to sit down for lunch.
Also present were SPDP Puteri chief Cr Barbara Mawan and PBB Kalaka Youth leader Nasir Manap and several other SPDP officials as well as community leaders.
Yesterday’s event was not the first time that PKR members defected to SPDP as far as Saratok is concerned because on Feb 22 this year another group of 180 defectors applied to join SPDP. On Feb 7, the first batch of 65 defectors applied to join the party.
Some of the defectors said they have lost hope on PKR to further develop Saratok, and they hoped that those who voted the BN out from Krian in the last state election, to root for the BN in the 13th General Election to ensure a big BN victory.
They said only the BN have the means and machinery to further develop Saratok and more so when uninterrupted pace of development is now imperative.
The first and second batch of defectors was led by Ismail Hussin who handed over their applications at SPDP headquarters in Kuching. Ismail is the independent candidate who garnered more than 1,665 votes but lost to the BN candidate in Kalaka Datuk Abdul Wahab Aziz (6,835 votes) in the last state election.
Mawan said: “The picture on the handing over of application forms says a thousand words. As for the coming polls, I believe Saratok constituents are matured enough to decide what is good and bad for them in the long run. I am confident that BN will be the preferred choice.”
In another development here, Barbara said she will be part of the organising committee for Berambeh@Pesta Saratok themed ‘Saratok Dihatiku’ slated for April 10 to 14.
She said almost all government agencies are co-organisers. Several NGOs were also picked to join in the event’s organisation.
Mawan, who is the State Senior minister and Social Development Minister will launch the carnival at 10am next Saturday (April 13) at Saratok District Council field.
It is also held in conjunction with TVi second anniversary celebration, she said.
Among the programmes lined up in the five-day carnival are Bintang TVi Saratok competition, religious talk, drug prevention talk, health screening, blood donation campaign, games, tele-matches, community and youth-related workshops and a concert ‘Saratok Dihatiku’, cooking demonstration, angling competition, colouring contest, photography contest, motorcycle autoshow and TVi second anniversary concert.
Barbara said the carnival will also function as the BN outreach programme following their defeat in Krian in the last state polls.
She said it was important for BN leaders to get in touch once again with the people of Saratok as PKR has confirmed that their Krian assemblyman Ali Biju has been nominated to contest in Saratok.
As for the BN, it is still not certain if caretaker incumbent MP Jelaing Mersat will be renominated following speculations that there were also several BN members lobbying for the candidacy. Jelaing is SPDP senior vice-president cum Deputy Transport Minister.