KUCHING: About 100 SPDP division chiefs and councillors yesterday expressed their support to SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan for accepting former leaders into the party to facilitate Barisan Nasional’s (BN) ‘Moving Forward’ plan.
The plan includes reconciliation between SPDP and a group of four former leaders sacked from the party following a protracted leadership crisis since 2009.
The four leaders are state assemblypersons Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie (Tasik Biru), Datuk Sylvester Entri (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau). Mawan is also Minister of Social Development and BN vice-chairman.
Numbering 100, the visitors comprised 56 councillors who were also SPDP divisional chiefs. They met up with Mawan at his office in Petra Jaya here and after their closed-door dialogue most of them proceeded to Kelab Golf Sarawak (KGS) restaurant for lunch.
When met during lunch, SPDP Satok division chairman Anthony Ramanair said the reconciliation which was sealed before state BN chairman and Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem last March 17 augured well for SPDP.
He also said being members of BN, they must work together as a family.
“It is not easy to swallow one’s pride but the president and the four leaders had swallowed their pride. The four leaders should also appreciate what the president had done for them. The president ought to be congratulated for accepting the four leaders because this is also what the BN had wanted,” he said.
SPDP Bengoh division chairman Sebastian Sakol Senyau said his division was 100 per cent behind the BN ‘Moving Forward’ plan, and believed the rest who came over to Petra Jaya to meet Mawan shared similar thoughts.
He said the dialogue was a good forum for the party and president to clear any doubt over the plan and party direction.
When met after the lunch, Mawan who is Saratok MP said those who did not come to terms with the plan should get themselves enlightened soon instead of continuing to make themselves misunderstood by others.
“For those who have not yet grasped the whole situation, please get yourselves enlightened. Don’t just comment freely (in public) and get yourselves misunderstood (by people) and also before you mislead others,” Mawan said.
He stressed that BN members have the moral obligation to get accurate information at all times on the political situation in Sarawak, including matters regarding the chain of command within BN — from top to bottom.
Mawan said during the closed-door dialogue, party members not only discussed politics but matters related to the term ‘Allah’ and the search and rescue efforts for passengers and crew of flight MH370.
Mawan, who is also Pakan assemblyman, has this advice for dissenting BN members: ”If you are not prepared to take the final step, never ever take the first step.”