New twist in Sarawak BN - SPDP set to merge with UPP, Teras

Three Sarawak BN parties are set to merge forces and become the second biggest united party in terms of state seats.

Malaysiakini understands that the merger will involve SPDP (Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party), its splinter party Teras, and UPP (United People's Party).

UPP secretary-general George Lo, when contacted, said the unification is still being considered.

"Yes, we are considering their offer. We are in discussion with them but no agreement has been reached. That's the current status," he said.

Sources told Malaysiakini that SPDP had approached Teras and UPP on Monday, and the three parties had finalised the basic structure of their merger last night.

News of the merger comes as Teras announced that it would be dissolved effective today.

Acting Teras president Peter Nansian (photo) was quoted by the Borneo Post as saying that the party would follow the lead of assemblypersons William Mawan, Rosey Yunus, and Paulus Palu Gumbang, to join another BN component party en bloc.

UPP and Teras leaders were made to quit their respective parties last month, when they were fielded as BN direct candidates for the Sarawak state election.

Of the BN direct candidates who contested and won, five are from UPP and three from Teras. Another three are not from any political party.

If the merger goes through with the inclusion of the partyless direct candidates, the united entity would become the second most powerful group in the Sarawak state legislative assembly, with a total of 15 seats, compared to Sarawak United People's Party's (SUPP) seven and Parti Rakyat Sarawak's (PRS) 11.

Malaysiakini has attempted to contact SUPP president Dr Sim Kui Hian for his comment.

Meanwhile, according to sources within PBB, three Teras and three other BN-direct assemblypersons have already met Chief Minister Adenan Satem earlier today with the interest of joining the party.

They are William Mawan (Pakan), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau) for Teras, and Gerawat Gala (Mulu), Miro Simuh (Serembu) and John Ilus (Bukit Semuja).

Miro was also the member of the PBB Youth supreme council when Adenan announced his candidacy at Serembu constituency as a BN-direct candidate.

PBB will be the largest party in the state with 46 assemblypersons if all six members are accepted into the party.

A positive move

When contacted by Malaysiakini, analyst James Chin said: "PRS will not be as badly affected as SUPP because two of the Chinese seats will be lost to SPDP.

"This is a positive move as we need more multi-racial parties in Sarawak."

Chin, who is also the University of Tasmania's Asia Institute director, explained that such move will also break down the ethnic perception of political parties linked to a particular race.

He said this will be a master political move by SPDP president Tiong King Sing and UPP leader Wong Soon Koh as it alters the political equation in Sarawak BN.

"It also reinforced the notion that there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics. Another angle is that the Rejang Delta will now have a new party to champion them.

"They only had SUPP and PBB previously," Chin added.

According to See Hua Daily, SPDP had endorsed a decision to merge with UPP in an emergency central committee meeting chaired by Tiong yesterday. SPDP also invited Teras and three more elected direct candidates to join their party. -Mkini