(From left) Willie, Dr Jerip and his proposer Datuk Detta Samen show the number two sign, indicating Dr Jerip’s number in the ballot paper.
KUCHING (Dec 6): Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin turned up in Siburan this morning to support Mambong incumbent Datuk Dr Jerip Susil from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) despite not being in the same political alliance.
Willie, who is from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), donned the GPS shirt as he and Dr Jerip exchanged pleasantries after the nomination process for Mambong was over this morning.
Both Willie and Dr Jerip are related, with Willie regarding Dr Jerip as his uncle.
The prohibition on processions and gatherings by the Election Commission (EC) meant that Willie and other supporters could not join Dr Jerip in the nomination centre at 9am.
Willie, who is Perikatan Nasional (PN) Sarawak committee member, said the working synergy between him and Dr Jerip can ensure GPS to retain Mambong.
“He has his own set of supporters, I also have my own set of supporters. And to me, no need for me to say anything, you can see in my actions. I go to the ground, and I have tried to garner support for him,” said Willie, who is also Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities.
He also said Dr Jerip has done a lot for the Mambong state seat, or previously known as the Bengoh seat, in his four terms as its elected representative and deserves to be given another mandate.
“The most important thing is we have to give him a new mandate to ensure the GPS can continue to be the state government, and the state government can work with the federal government for continuity of development and wellbeing of the people.
“I think no doubt we cannot do 100 per cent, but to say there is no progress, that is actually a good definition. A lot has been done, but still not enough.
“We (Dr Jerip and I) can work together, we can see the spirit of working together in the last few years, there are a lot of things coming in our areas. I believe if given the mandate, he will deliver more than that,” said Willie.
He also responded to those criticising his move, stressing that what he had been doing by supporting GPS was for the betterment of Mambong.
“To me personally I have no problems supporting him no matter what people say on the ground. My action speaks (louder). No need for me to oversay it,” he said.
Willie had previously contested against Dr Jerip in Bengoh, and then Mambong, as a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) candidate in 2011 and 2016 state elections.
For the 12th state election, Dr Jerip will be engaged in a five-cornered fight against Sanjan Daik from Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Chang Hon Hiung from Democratic Action Party (DAP), Chong Siew Hung from Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) and Joshua Roman from Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK).
When met after the nomination process, Dr Jerip said GPS still needs to work hard to win the hearts of voters in Mambong despite the multi-cornered contest.
“We always have to work very hard every election. We only can be confident until the counting of the votes on the 18th of December.
“In the meantime, we need to ensure what we have promised is delivered. Not 100 per cent yet, but we know we have delivered most of it through various programmes.
“Once we have done that, it is up to the people to rate us. Based on the general feelings on various levels of society, they are with GPS,” he said.
He also said the rapport among GPS components in Mambong have always remained strong.
“Even before there was GPS, you have to remember we were in Barisan Nasional. And the spirit of working together remained till today. There is always the spirit of understanding, collaboration and consultation among us within the constituency.
“We do have bits of misunderstanding here and there. But as time goes by, we see a bigger picture. There’s not so much of individual agendas, but we are able to look at the bigger picture so that everyone can benefit from what we deliver to the people,” he said.
On the five-cornered fight, he said this reflects that democracy is alive and vibrant in Mambong, with each contestant offering their respective aspirations and ideologies to the people.
He said he and Sanjan for example, had always remained friends despite being in different political camps.
“This shows good and clean democracy. After the election, Sanjan and I would still be friends,” he added.