Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) has brushed aside the claim of Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) president William Mawan Ikom that incumbent  Tasik Biru representative and Teras deputy president Peter Nansian will represent BN in the coming state election.

“That is a normal claim by Teras. Anybody can claim the seat. But you must remember the seat belongs to SPDP,” SPDP secretary-general Anthony Nogeh said today.

Contacted by Malaysiakini for comment, Nogeh, who is also the MP for Mas Gading, said Tasik Biru is one of the strongholds of his party.

“We have identified two persons as strong contenders for the seat. They have been going around with me in the constituency.

“The response to them is very good,” said Nogeh, pointing out that it is up to the top BN leadership to choose one of the two SPDP candidates.

“Both of them are winnable candidates,” he added.

Yesterday Mawan declared that Nansian (left) would defend the Tasik Biru seat as he believed that the incumbent was still the best person to win the seat for BN due to his strong performance as a BN elected representative and assistant minister.

Nansian also has the trust of Chief Minister Adenan Satem to run the affairs and help development in Bau, Mawan said.

“From the party angle, Nansian is the only candidate we know who will represent BN here. There never has been anybody else,” Mawan was reported as saying.

“You are our ‘manok sabong’ (fighting cock) as far as I am concerned,” he said to Nansian during the opening of the Teras Tasik Biru inaugural general meeting.

Teras was formed in 2013 by elected representatives Nansian, Sylvester Entri (Marudi), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu) and Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau), who were sacked from the SPDP for serious breaches of discipline.

Mawan, who was SPDP president, resigned from the party and joined them in Teras in May last year. He remains as social development minister in Adenan’s state cabinet.

Teras is also putting claims for four other state seats - Marudi, Pakan, Bekenu and Batu Danau - and is very confident of getting to contest these seats after Adenan called on Sarawakians to vote candidates from Teras and the United People’s Party (UPP), besides those from the other four BN component parties, in the coming state election.

UPP, which was formed last year after its leaders were sacked from Sarawak United People’s Party, is claiming at least four seats that the party leaders current represent.  

These are Opar, Bengoh, Engkilili and Bawang Assan.

Meanwhile, Adenan’s (left) urging for voters to support Teras and UPP is a cause for concern among members and leaders of SPDP and SUPP.

“It is very certain SPDP and SUPP leaders will not give up any of the seats that have been allocated to them all these years under the BN agreement and understanding.

“It is going to be a tricky situation for Adenan to handle,” said a political observer.