Mawan has no intention to give up his MP or state seat
Former Teras President William Mawan Ikom says it is unfair for his SPDP rivals to demand that he resign one of his positions.
KUCHING: Despite calls by leaders from BN component Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) to resign, former Sarawak People Energy Party (Teras) President William Mawan Ikom said he would not give up his Pakan state seat, nor will he resign as Saratok MP.
Last Wednesday, SPDP Central Region Chairman Lau Cheng Kiong demanded that Mawan resign from either seat, citing a statement made by Chief Minister Adenan Satem prior to the recently concluded state election that no person can hold two positions.
SPDP Youth Chief Robert Ayu and Women Chief Chew Yen Chiew also issued a joint statement urging Mawan’s resignation on the same day.
“That’s their political stand. They can request for anything, but it is not decided by one single party, according to their wishful thinking,” Mawan told reporters here today.
“Why didn’t they ask before the election? Now they want Tan Sri William Mawan. In the worst case scenario, which do they want? They can have the state seat. Since I just won, they can have it at the end of the term. I’m saying that in jest.”
Following internal disputes, Mawan quit as SPDP president in May, 2014 to join Teras, a non-BN affiliated party. Tiong King Sing took over as SPDP president.
Prior to the May 7 state election, Mawan and two other leaders quit Teras to contest as BN direct candidates.
In the election, Jawie Jingot, who had quit SPDP, challenged Mawan in Pakan as an independent candidate, garnering 3,573 votes to Mawan’s 3,999 votes in a three-cornered fight. Rinda Juliza Alexander of DAP received 285 votes.
SPDP leaders have said that the Saratok parliamentary seat belongs to the party.
Lau had been quoted as saying that a person cannot be an assemblyman and an MP at the same time as he will not be able to perform his duties well.
Mawan today said he would follow party regulations regarding the matter: “Barisan has guidelines. Barisan has to play by the rules. Barisan has decided which candidates should be fielded and the candidates won.
“And you just try to demand things to complicate the circumstances. It’s not fair to demand when I have just won,” he told reporters after officially handing over his portfolio as state minister of minster of social development to Michael Manyin.
Meanwhile, regarding his possible appointment as federal minister, Mawan said that was the “prerogative” of Prime Minister Najib Razak and Adenan, who is also state BN chairman.
“I am looking forward to continue serving the rakyat. But to what capacity and where, I don’t know.
“It is entirely up to the bosses and up to the heads. And I’m very loyal. I’ve always been very loyal to Barisan Nasional,” Mawan said.
“I’ve been serving for the last 30 years with dedication and loyalty. That much I can say. As I’ve said, if my boss asks me to jump from my building, I will only question: Which floor sir? I don’t ask why.
“If my boss says there is no more role for you to play, well that would be it. I’ll (go) fly a kite.”
Mawan said he was awaiting word about the application of former Teras leaders to join Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB): “We have tried to. But we have not got any official confirmation yet.”
Mawan, along with former Teras Senior Vice-President Rosey Yunus, who is Bekenu state assemblyman, and former party Treasurer-General Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau), have applied to join the dominant state BN component, which comprises leaders from the Dayak, Orang Ulu, Melanau and Malay communities.
If their memberships are approved, it would run counter to a long-standing unwritten agreement among BN components that PBB does not have more than half of the total number of state elected representatives.
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PBB currently controls 40 of 82 state seats.