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KUCHING - Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) president William Mawan may not get to see his wish of a ‘status quo’ line-up in the party elections in December.

It is widely speculated that several party seniors may not listen to him if they do not get what they want.

Top on their list of grouses is the purported attempt by party treasurer-general Tiong King Sing to go for the deputy president’s post. They want to prevent Tiong from eventually becoming president of the party.

On Aug 29, Bernama speculated that Tiong, who is Bintulu MP, was keen to mount a challenge for the deputy presidency.

If he does so, Tiong, also the party's Youth leader, will have to tussle it out with incumbent Peter Nyarok (left) who is likely to defend his post. Nyarok is an assistant minister in the Sarawak state cabinet.

As of today, however, Nyarok has still not made known his plans of whether to carry on or retire. Even Mawan is unaware of his plans.

Nyarok’s silence has led to speculations that he has been offered to step down to make way for Tiong and retire from politics.

A Plan B, a new line-up

It is learnt that the majority of the party’s supreme council and members are unhappy over the proposed take-over by Tiong. Thus, they have held discussions to carry out 'Plan B', which is to challenge Tiong and, if need be, even Mawan’s leadership should he consider Tiong as his running mate.

While Mawan is hoping for a status quo, Nyarok’s silence seems to confirm the rumours that he will step down. This will inevitably open the way for the top posts to be contested.

Vice-president and Mas Gading MP Dr Tiki Lafe (right) indicated that the party had already discussed a change, when he commented  “there is a likelihood that even the top posts will be challenged, including the vice-president’s post. We are talking now of a Plan B and a new line-up.”

A supreme council member, who wants to remain anonymous (understandably due to the sensitivity of the issue), said; "What some of the us fear is that if Tiong becomes the number two, it will be just a matter of time before he takes over the leadership of the party.

"If this happens, there is bound to be trouble in the party.”

Why they don't want Tiong

A party insider offers several reasons why the group does not want Tiong to be the number two.

Firstly, they see Tiong as the stumbling block for Dayak unity through the proposed merger between SPDP and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).

The merger talks were initiated five years ago but nothing concrete has come out of the proposal. Tiong has been known to be not in favour of the merger.

Secondly, they see Tiong and his company, Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd that is now embroiled in the PKFZ fiasco, as liabilities to the party.

The latest development about the scandal is that KDSB account to the tune of RM140 million has been frozen pending investigations by the police and MACC.

The SPDP supreme council members do not want the party to be dragged along if any thing happens to Tiong.

Tiong was told in no uncertain terms by certain quarters in the party last month not to drag SPDP into his quarrel with MCA president Ong Tee Keat over an alleged RM10mil ‘loan/donation’.

Another reason, and the most important one, is that they do not want the history of the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) to be repeated.

SNAP was saddled with repeated internal crises after James Wong Kim Min took over the leadership in 1981. During his presidency, Dayaks’ interests and voices were said to have been suppressed.

SPDP was formed in 2002 after another squabble in SNAP.

Many of the current SPDP supreme council members had bitter experiences in SNAP and they do not want to see the same thing happening to SPDP.

Among them is Nyarok, a retired school teacher who came into prominence when he played a leading role, together with Mawan and several others, in the 2002 SNAP crisis. They had disagreed with the expulsion of Tiong from the party. The tussle led them to leave the party and form SPDP.

Upon the formation of SPDP, Tiong was given the post of treasurer-general, while Nyarok, upon the death of Peter Tinggom a year later, was elevated to the post of deputy president.

Tiong completely stripped them off

“It is in this light that we oppose Tiong taking over as deputy president of the party and we will oppose by challenging him,” said a SPDP leader who declined to be identified.

“Moreover, Tiong has become too powerful in the party and has antagonized many supreme council members,” he said, adding that Tiong has been treating them with little respect.

According to him, Tiong rebuked them during last month’s supreme council meeting.  “Abis kami ditelanjai ka iya” (Literally, it means Tiong completely stripped them).

Although Tiong’s outbursts did not go down well with some members of the council, they kept their cool and did not start an argument with him. But Tiong’s outbursts and aggressiveness had caused fears and worries among them.

Even as they are prepared to battle with Tiong at all costs, many are also worried about the consequences.

Already, four or five SPDP state assemblymen are known to be leaning towards Parti Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), the backbone of the state government, which was responsible for their electoral tickets.

One of the initiators of 'Plan B' confided to the Malaysian Mirror: “It all depends on Mawan. He must make a choice. Either he supports Tiong or supports Dayak unity. If he is supportive of Tiong, then he will be challenged.”

Meanwhile, PRS which will hold its delegates conference later is watching with interest the development in SPDP, especially in respect of Tiong’s possible election as party deputy president.

“If that happens, we know that the proposed merger between the two parties will not take place in the immediate future. We know that Tiong is against the merger,” said Tedewin Ngumbang, a PRS supreme council member.