Sarawak BN secretary-general Dr Stephen Rundi said the ruling coalition will not get involved in the squabble within Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP), which resulted in the sacking of party vice-president Sylvester Entri.

Commenting on the rift, which led to the SPDP's supreme council decision to sack Entri - who is also state assistant minister for water supply and part of the so-called group of 'SPDP Five' - he said the state BN would not interfere with the decision of the component party.

"Let both sides have a cooling-off period and rationalise what is best for the BN, especially with the general election just around the corner," Rundi, who is also state assistant minister for public utilities, told Bernama today.

In making the announcement yesterday, SPDP president William Mawan had said that four others were also disqualified from their posts.

They were senior vice-president and Tasik Biru assemblyman Peter Nansian, who is also state assistant minister of industrial development, vice-president and Mas Gading MP Dr Tiki Lafe, information chief and Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang and supreme council member and Bekenu assemblyman Rosey Yunus, who is also assistant minister of early childhood education and family development.

Tiki would also not be re-nominated to contest in the coming parliamentary election, he said.

BN leaders did not discuss SPDP crisis

Rundi said the matter was not discussed at a closed-door meeting among state BN leaders, which was held at the residence of Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud in Kuching last night.

NONE "It is confidential," he said when asked on the agenda of the meeting, which came hot on the heels of the SPDP decision to sack Entri as party member.

However, he said, the meeting had focused on development issues, as far as Sarawak was concerned, and the state BN's preparation in facing the 13th general election.

State BN leaders who had attended the meeting, included Mawan, Parti Rakyat Sarawak president Dr James Masing and several state cabinet ministers from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and Sarawak United People’s Party.

Abdul Taib is also Sarawak BN chairman and president of PBB, the backbone of the state BN coalition.

- Bernama