News on the merger status of SPDP and PRS has emerged as still in negotiation stage. “As far as I know, there has been no concrete action yet. I hope nobody would get offended if I describe the process at this point as ‘only lightning and thunder, but no rain’,” said William Mawan, the president of SPDP.
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Extract: BorneoPost
Merger for greater leverage, says Mawan
PAKAN: The main intention of merging Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) is to prevent them from being pitted against each other by irresponsible quarters in future.
This was pointed out by SPDP president Dato Sri William Mawan when he replied to a question from the floor during a dialogue session at Rumah Abi Gayan, a 16-door Iban longhouse by Amut Tengah River in Pakan yesterday.
After requesting anonymity, the questioner asked Mawan about the progress of the proposed SPDP-PRS merger which he said was widely reported in the media and had caught the attention of many longhouse people.
Mawan said the committees from both parties were still engaged in negotiations.
The SPDP committee was headed by deputy president Datuk Peter Nyarok while PRS’ was headed by Datuk Dublin Unting.
They were supposed to report to their respective party presidents.
“As far as I know, there has been no concrete action yet. I hope nobody would get offended if I describe the process at this point as ‘only lightning and thunder, but no rain’,” said Mawan.
On the possibility of being pitted against each other, he said if it happened it would be aimed at destabilising the BN at both state and federal levels.
“Mathematically, SPDP and PRS are politically weak although we are part of the ruling BN government,” he said.
Singly, he said, the parties have a small number of MPs and assemblymen, which is “weak representation and leverage” and, therefore, puts them in a ‘risky position’ as the more dominant quarters can exploit them easily.
“If we merge and have a united voice, our increased strength due to greater representation and political leverage would shield us from unscrupulous elements,” he said.
Currently SPDP has four members of parliament (MPs) - Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Jacob Dunggau Sagan, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Industry Jelaing Mersat, BN Backbenchers Club chairman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe.
The party has eight assemblymen — Mawan himself, Assistant Minister of Cooperative Development Datuk Peter Nyarok, Assistant Minister of Public Utility (Water Supply) Sylvester Entri, Peter Nansian, Rosey Yunus, Wong Judat, Nelson Balang and Paulus Palu Gumbang.
PRS has six MPs - Deputy Minister of Water, Energy and Communications Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum; Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Joseph Entulu; Datuk Billy Abit Joo; Aaron Dagang; Masir Kujat; and William Nyallau.
The party’s eight assemblymen are Land Development Minister Dato Sri Dr James Masing, Assistant Minister of Youth Datuk Dublin Unting, Assistant Minister of Industrial Development and Planning Larry Sng, Joseph Mauh, John Sikie, Liwan Lagang, Mong Dagang and Snowdan Lawan.
If a merged entity comes into being, it would have at least 14 MPs and 16 assemblymen, thus becoming the second biggest BN component party in Sarawak after Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headed by Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
It was reported recently that Taib suggested the new entity could then merge with PBB in future for a stronger BN.
Another BN partner is Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).
Among those present at the dialogue yesterday were a political secretary to the chief minister Paul Igai, Acting Pakan District Officer Inting Nyami, Special Affairs Department (Jasa) coordinator for Julau Sylvester Embuas, Penghulu Dundang Jalin, host Tuai Rumah Abi Gayan and nine other longhouse chiefs from Sungai Amut-Sungai Genega area.
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Showing posts with label SPDP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SPDP. Show all posts
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Labels: party merger, PRS, Sarawak, SPDP 0 comments
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Here's an update on the merging process between SPDP and PRS, two party components of Barisan Nasional Sarawak . The two parties have shortlisted three names to be considered for the new party. The proposed new names are listed below:
1). Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak (Beras),
2). Demokratik Rakyat Sarawak (Deras) or
3). Bersatu Progresif Rakyat Sarawak (BPRS)
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=37118 Three names shortlisted for merger By Raynore Mering Seven names suggested for proposed new party formed by SPDP-PRS merger KUCHING: The Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) took a major step towards their merger last night, when they announced three shortlisted names for their new party. Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak (Beras), Demokratik Rakyat Sarawak (Deras) or Bersatu Progresif Rakyat Sarawak (BPRS) are the three names now being considered from a list of seven proposed names. The names were announced at a press conference after a brief meeting between the merger committees of the two parties at Toh Yuen Restaurant in the Hilton Kuching at about 10.30pm. SPDP secretary general Sylvester Entrie Muran said they hoped to get feedback from the grounds on which of the three names were most suitable for their merged party. He pointed out that the two committees have agreed that their parties should merge. “After several meetings between the merger committees, we both agreed on the merger in the best interest of our parties,” he said. SPDP’s merger committee is headed by the party’s deputy president Datuk Peter Nyarok and his members are Entrie and senior vice president. The chairman of the PRS merger committee is Datuk Billy Abit, who is a PRS vice president, and his members are vice president John Sikie Tayai and secretary general Wilfred Nissom. Abit pointed out that he was “standing-in” as chairman of the committee for Datuk Dublin Unting, who is recuperating at the Normah Medical Specialist Centre following a stroke. Asked what the urgency was in announcing the three names, Nansian replied that Dublin had actually wanted the names to be made known before he was hospitalised. “He (Dublin) had actually called me at about 10.30am on that day (May 22, 2008, when Dublin was hospitalised) and said that we should announce the names,” he said, adding that they had held the announcement back until PRS decided that Abit should stand in for Dublin. The committee said the announcement had nothing to do with political developments in Sabah yesterday. The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) intends to support a motion of no confidence against the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Monday. He added that there was no time table set for the eventual merger, and that the two committees would meet again to decide on the name of the new party as well as other relevant matters such as the leadership of the party.
Labels: party merger, PRS, SPDP 0 comments
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Dato Sri Dr James Masing, the PRS president claimed that now is the right time and mood for PRS and SPDP to merge. He however stressed that grassroots members from both parties need to understand for the need to merge and support the merger.
Once PRS and SPDP merged into a single entity, the new party will be the largest Dayak based party in Sarawak Barisan Nasional party components. It will have large voices and supporters. The new party can also lead the Dayak into a stronger unity.
But first, leaders from both parties, need to sit down and formulate when to merge, how to merge and the million dollar question is who will lead the new party. Relinquish one power is very hard to do. That will happen to James Masing and William Mawan. For the merger to be successful, either James Masing or William Mawan give way to one another (which can lead to faction and is very unlikely) or both of them step down and let another figure become the president of the new party. Only then, the new party will be stronger.
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Source: theborneopost.com/?p=36148 (May 29, 2008)
Masing: PRS, SPDP in right mood for merger
By Ting Tieng Hee
It is crucial for leaders of both parties to work together towards objective
KUCHING: Members of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) are all in the ‘right mood’ for a merger, says PRS president Dato Sri Dr James Masing.
He said while it was important for the leaders of both parties to work together towards the merger, it was even more important to get approval of the members on the ground.
“There has been a very fruitful meeting last week between the two (merger) committees, and there is a common understanding among us.
“The question of course is ‘when’, and the mechanism of doing it, but the spirit is there for the need to be together. That’s important,” he told reporters after launching a road safety campaign at the Waterfront here yesterday.
The campaign was held in conjunction with the Gawai Dayak Celebrations to promote greater road safety awareness among road users during the festive season.
Masing, also Minister of Land Development, said approval must be obtained from the supreme councils and general assemblies of both parties for the merger to be realised.
“Dato Sri William Mawan and myself cannot do it alone. It doesn’t work that way. If you merge with just talks, it would be like a marriage that ends up in divorce after a few months,” he said.
He said the two leaders would meet when they had decided to do so, and both sides needed to understand why the need to merge.
“The grassroots must agree to merge. They must understand why we need to get together. Sometimes, they do not understand why we need to be together,” he said.
When asked if he thought there was really a need for the two parties to merge, he replied: “There is a need for rural areas (constituencies) to get together. Rural constituencies mean Dayak constituencies. Otherwise, it is very difficult for us to work out certain issues if we are not together, and if we don’t talk the same language.
“The mood is there for us to get together. This is especially very important now,” he added.
To a question, Masing agreed that the merger was a move towards Dayak unity.
“It is a move in the correct direction. Somebody has to start, isn’t it.”
When asked who would lead the PRS committee for the merger talks since deputy president Datuk Dublin Unting is ill, Masing said: “If we need to meet soon then I have to find somebody else to lead the committee.”
He said Dublin was now in a better shape.
“I haven’t seen him as I have just arrived here.
“From what I gather, he is better now than a few days ago. I hope he will get well soon but in this type of situation, it will take time to recover.”
Labels: party merger, PRS, Sarawak, SPDP 0 comments
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