June 26, 2007: We will always follow BN policies: Mawan 

• ‘SPDP wants to safeguard harmony, tolerance and understanding in coalition’

• N UNITY: Mawan (third right) rolls the mat (Ngiling Bidai) together with, from left, Cr Tang, Cr Tiong, Shirley, Adit and Cheng Kiong while standing from second left, Chambai, Dr Johnicol, from fourth left -James Laju, Elizabeth, Peter Howell and Sim  look on.

He said SPDP believed in safeguarding and preserving the spirit of consensus, understanding, mutual tolerance and harmony in the ruling coalition.

He was speaking at the ‘Ngiling Bidai’ (closing of Gawai)-cum-5th anniversary celebration of SPDP Bukit Assek Division Wanita Movement.

Mawan said his party paid attention to the views of the majority at the grassroots level in order to ensure they (the grassroots) did not feel oppressed as this could contribute towards the defeat of the BN in an election.

“If we force our ideas upon others, we will be dictatorial in our action, and this will cause us to lose sight of our aim to forge unity and harmony among us,” he said, warning that in the end all these would contribute towards them losing out politically.

Mawan, who is Social Development and Urbanisation Minister, said SPDP believed that the members of the party should speak in one voice when it came to political and development issues.
This, he said, had contributed towards the strength and maturity of the five-year-old party.

“I never cross the line. I hate crossing words with anybody. I believe in results and practicality of the day. If we exchange words openly, it will not benefit us in SPDP, particularly when the issues involved (other) BN component party members.
“We do not need to outdo each other publicly. Furthermore we are together in the BN,” he said.
According to Mawan, SPDP was a disciplined party with leaders preferring to keep quiet on many issues.
Pointing out that he had never issued a gag order, Mawan said he was happy that SPDP legislators, leaders and members shared his view in the matter.

He reminded SPDP members to continue strengthening the party by recruiting more members.
“Only through a large membership can SPDP enjoy greater leverage in every field,” Mawan said, while quickly reminding his party members not to entice the existing members of any other BN component party to join them.

“Do not entice any member of other BN component parties. I fully believe there are many Sarawakians (who are) still partyless, fence-sitters and members of opposition parties. We can recruit them to become SPDP members,” he said.

The function was also attended by Ngemah assemblyman Gabriel Adit, Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnicol Rayong Nyipa, two political secretaries to the Chief Minister Peter Howell Jilan and Sim Hang Seng and Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) chairman Cr James Laju.

Also attending were UCA president Datuk Lau Cheng Kiong, who is also chairman of SPDP Pelawan, SPDP Bukit Assek chairman who is also a supreme council member of SPDP Cr. Tiong Yong Hing, Cr Elizabeth Ling who represented SPDP Wanita chief, a supreme council member Cr Chambai Lindong, SPDP Machan chairman Cr. Leong Kheng Hee and organising chairman Shirley Tie Siew Len.

Mawan performed the traditional Iban ‘miring’ before he led the distinguished guests to roll the mat (Ngiling Bidai).

Later, he cut the anniversary cake.

Meanwhile, before the function ended Mawan obliged to talk exclusively to The Borneo Post (BP) on many political issues of the day.

Below is the excerpt of the exclusive interview:

BP: Sarawak National Party (SNAP) assemblyman for Engkilili Dr Johnicol Rayong was reported to have received the greenlight from SUPP chairman and Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Dr George Chan to be admitted into SUPP. Do you agree with Dr George Chan?
MAWAN: As long as Dr Johnicol Rayong joined BN, its good news. He is now with SNAP, an opposition party. So when he joins BN, it is a plus for BN. Furthermore, if he joins SUPP, it is even more appropriate because Engkilili is SUPP seat. And as far as we are concerned, we have no objection. He and Dr George enjoy our full support as long as the BN leadership accepts the move..I mean, if it is true.
BP: You have asked your members to recruit the partyless, the fence-sitters and even the opposition members into SPDP. Does this mean that you are inviting Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Joseph Salang, who is Julau MP and also Gabriel Adit, who are both partyless?
MAWAN: I have not much comment on Datuk Joseph Salang because he is still in the BN. Whatever decision he makes in choosing his party within the BN will get my full backing and support. As far as Gabriel Adit is concerned, he is an independent. But he was in the BN before. Since becoming an independent he was not vocal against the government. I think he is very friendly with almost any BN party. I think he is also another potentially good friend to the BN.
BP: Did you take into consideration the strong support Adit enjoys in Ngemah, when you decided to support his admission into the BN?
MAWAN: Well, when you win an election, of course you get good support. But in his case as an independent, we (in BN) have a rule not to accept independents. This rule has been quite well understood, particularly before any election. But there has been precedence in the pass in which independents have been accepted into the BN through consensus. You see, there are exceptions to the rules sometimes. This again lies very much on the consensus within the BN and this is not for me to decide alone. That is what I have to say. Because of the precedence I do not rule out the possibility, more so Adit is a very good friend of the BN and that enhanced the possibility that one day Adit may be admitted into the BN even though he is an independent.
BP: On Member of Parliament for Lubok Antu Jawah Gerang?
MAWAN: He had joined us and now he had left. As I have said earlier, it was his right as a party member. He was earlier partyless and we accepted him on the basis that he decided to join a BN party after the demise of PBDS, also another BN party. I learnt that he had joined Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), the faction headed by Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office Larry Sng. Then again, PRS is a BN member too. Interestingly also Larry Sng is in favour of a merger between SPDP and PRS and so am I. In the event that this merger takes place, would it not that we will be together again? You see, the merger talk is there.
BP: What is your comment on the claim by PRS that it inherits the seats of the defunct Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS)?
MAWAN: I won’t comment on that. Because to me that question or issue should be solved by PRS and the legislators who are formerly from the defunct PBDS themselves. They should settle it among themselves. We have no part at all in it.
BP: Is SPDP election machinery ready for the forthcoming general election?
MAWAN: Yes we are. In fact this gathering today is one of our activities to strengthen our party’s election machinery, particularly in this central region. We have started many activities in all our five parliamentary constituencies – Bintulu, Baram, Saratok, Mas Gading and Kanowit. As the time goes, we will concentrate on the seats which are now being held by Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Datuk Jacob Dunggau Sagan, Jelaing Mersat, Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe and Aaron Ago Dagang respectively. We are very confident we can return all these seats to the BN, even if the elections were to be held next month. This is because all our ‘wakil rakyat’ are always serving the people diligently, election or no election. In fact at the party level, I am the election chairman.