Digest on Malaysian News

Timik asked to thank SPDP

By Samuel Aubrey

Bidayuh representation in federal cabinet in last eight years because of SPDP: Mawan

KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president Dato Sri William Mawan (pictured right) was upset yesterday following allegation that the party is to be blamed for the loss of Bidayuh representation in the federal cabinet.

“As far as Bidayuh representation is concerned, the party put up a Bidayuh in the person of Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe for the last eight years in federal cabinet. Why not highlight that?” he said to reporters after the prize presentation ceremony for Malaysian Sports School Council (MSSM) age-group golf championships at Kelab Golf Sarawak here.

Mawan was asked to comment on a statement made by Peter Timik Juin, who was Dr Tiki’s principal assistant secretary when the latter was the Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister. Timik on Tuesday said SPDP leadership was to blame for the exclusion of Bidayuhs from Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s cabinet.

“Dr Tiki’s principal assistant secretary is talking in the opposite. He should (instead) thank SPDP for putting the representation of the Bidayuhs for the last eight years,” Mawan countered.

Mawan pointed out that SPDP is a multi-racial party, but a small one in the Barisan Nasional, and thus it cannot just champion the cause of one particular race.

Rather SPDP strove to ensure that the other minorities in the party were also represented in the cabinet, Mawan said. He said the party could not afford to pay attention any single community, stressing: “What about other races? What about the Kedayans in Bekenu? What about the Bisayas in Limbang?

“What about Kayan and Kenyahs in Baram, the other Orang Ulu like Kelabit and Lun Bawang? What about the Chinese?

“I cannot just be talking about one issue, (or) one single race as far as SPDP is concerned as highlighted by Dr Tiki’s secretary.”

Mawan said in the spirit of multiracial SPDP and in the interests of all communities, the cabinet representation from the party had to be shifted to the Orang Ulu which had not been represented in the cabinet since the 1990s.

SPDP senior vice president Datuk Jacob Sagan, a Kenyah, is the Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry.

Mawan, however, refused to comment on Timik’s claim that the leadership of SPDP did not fully and wholeheartedly support Dr Tiki in the last parliamentary election.

“No comment from me as of now. I think somebody from the party will comment on this soon,” he said.

Timik, in his statement published in The Borneo Post yesterday, had made this claim, indicating a rift in the party.

“Some of those who make the noisy complaint of Bidayuh absence in the federal cabinet line-up might not themselves have been enthusiastic supporters of Datuk Dr Tiki’s campaign efforts in Mas Gading.

“Datuk Dr Tiki could have failed to win the Mas Gading MP seat if leaders of other BN component parties were not asked to help in the campaign,” the report quoted Timik as saying.

Dr Tiki, who is an SPDP vice president, had served in the federal cabinet for two terms before being dropped by Abdullah from the new cabinet announced on March 17.

Despite the challenges Dr Tiki was said to have faced during the polls, he still managed to increase his winning majority. He had faced three contenders - Sarawak National Party’s (SNAP) Dr Patau Rubis and two independent candidates, Favian Tisen and Apin Baeng.

Dr Tiki polled 8,551 votes to win by a majority of 4,301 votes. In the 2004 polls, he faced Dr Patau in a straight fight and won with a majority of 2,712 votes after he garnered 10,579 votes. Dr Tiki, who has been the Mas Gading MP since 1999, was the only Bidayuh in the cabinet before the recent reshuffle.

Source: http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=33141 (Mar 27, 2008)

MD Says:

Welcome to the blaming game.

William Mawan is only playing game with the Bidayuh YB. Before the election, rumours were abound saying that Dr. Tiki may not be recall to defend his Mas Gading seat due to his fallout with Taib, business community and some grassroot groups.

But as an advantage to SPDP, Mawan still proceed to nominate Dr. Tiki because his party can sell the ideas to the Bidayuh majority at Mas Gading that:
- Bidayuh should respect a deputy federal minister (i.e Dr. Tiki)
- SNAP/STAR have no election issues to raise to the voters
- promising to retain Dr. Tiki at the Parliament

Taib on the other hand (and because he is not happy with Dr. Tiki due to certain issues), is more than happy with PM decision to exclude Dr. Tiki in the new cabinet line-up. Might as well as he propose his son (Sulaiman) to be in the Parliament Cabinet. Mawan couldn't care less as long as Mas Gading is still retain under SPDP.

What should be done is, Mawan knowing Taib displeasure with Dr. Tiki could have proposed a younger leader from Mas Gading. A new face. A new potential to be groom to replace the old guards.

What's the point of nominating a candidate just for retaining the seat but did not make use of the elected candidate to serve the rakyat ?

I'll say that Mawan is still at fault, not for not pushing Dr. Tiki to the Parliament but for not continuing with Bidayuh political struggle among the younger generation. For Bidayuh's sake, Mawan should groom new Bidayuh aspiring politics to continue with their struggle.