Chiew (seated centre) addresses the media at the press conference.
KUCHING: The Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) Women’s Wing wants at least one of the party’s seats during the 11th state election.
SPDP Women’s chief Datuk Chiew Yen Chew said it is time for the wing to be better represented in the party and government based on the fact that women make up almost 50 per cent of SPDP members.
“There has been increasing participation of women in the recent political field from other component parties and as such we hope our party leaders in their selection and nomination of candidates in the coming state election will meet with our desire for a woman candidate at least.
“At the same time we also hope that the party leadership will seriously consider another woman from SPDP Wanita as political secretary,” she told a press conference yesterday.
Chiew said it does not matter who the party leadership nominates as a candidate and as political secretary as long as the women’s wing is represented.
“It is not necessary to be the Wanita chief and certainly I cannot be the candidate. I am from Miri and SPDP does not have any seat there but I can say we have a pool of potential and capable women among us,” she said.
Chiew said the wing would formally forward their request to the party leadership for consideration and also hoped to get support from other Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders, particularly Chief Minister designate Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem.
“With this opportunity also we in SPDP Wanita Wing congratulate Tan Sri Adenan Satem for being designated the new chief minister of Sarawak. At the same time we also would like to thank our beloved Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud who has served diligently and done a marvellous job for more than 30 years and his contribution to Sarawak is evidently reflected in the growth and progress of our state,” she said.
During the 10th state election in 2011, SPDP contested in eight seats — Tasik Biru, Krian, Pakan, Bekenu, Meluan, Marudi, Batu Danau and Ba Kelalan but lost Krian and Ba Kelalan to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaving the party with six elected representatives.
Following an internal squabble, the party was left with two elected representatives — SPDP president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom (Pakan) and Wong Judat (Meluan) — as four others, namely Datuk Peter Nansian Ngusie (Tasik Biru), Rosey Yunus (Bekenu), Datuk Sylvester Entri Muran (Marudi) and Paulus Palu Gumbang (Batu Danau) were sacked along with former Mas Gading Member of Parliament Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe.
Not long after that, Wong Judat also left SPDP to join the Sarawak Workers Party (SWP).
