Sarawak Progressive Democractic Party (SPDP) president William Mawan Ikom has quit the party.

He quit this afternoon along with SUPP senior leader Wong Soon Koh, with both joining newly-formed BN-friendly party Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).

Both were embroiled in party disputes before announcing their resignations at the state legislative assembly building in Kuching this afternoon.

The duo leads nine other BN assemblypersons and MPs, who quit their parties to join Teras.

Mawan (above in sitting in middle) is senior minister of social development while Wong is senior minister of local government and community development.

Four of those who quit are also state assistant ministers.

Others quitting from SPDP are:

  • Peter Nansian (Tasik Biru assemblyperson and assistant minister);
  • Sylvester Entri Muran (Marudi and assistant minister);
  • Paulus Gumbang (Batu Danau);
  • Rosey Yunus (Bekenu and assistant minister); and
  • Anyie Ngau (Baram MP)
Meanwhile, Wong leads Jerip Susil (Bengoh and assistant minister), Johnichal Rayong (Engkili) and Ranum Mina (Opar) out of SUPP.

Sarawak Workers Party (SWP)'s deputy president George Lagong (Pelagus) also quit to join Teras. SWP is not part of the BN.

SPDP's Rosey and Nansian and SUPP's Jerip are state assistant ministers.

Team A and B in S'wak BN

Mawan, who is also Saratok MP, had been under pressure from SPDP to explain why he unilaterally re-admitted four expelled elected representatives into the party.

The four, dubbed locally as the G4, are Nansian, Sylvester, Paulus and Rosey.

Teras co-founder Nansian said the party, approved by the Registrar of Societies last year, will be applying to join the BN.

“We are meeting the chief minister and state BN chairperson Adenan Satem after the media conference and will tell him of our intention to join BN,” he said.

Separately, Sarawak PKR vice president See Chee How (right) said that with 10 assemblypersons and an MP, Teras will be second largest political party supporting the BN.

"With this, SUPP and SPDP will become bubble parties," he said when contacted.

SPDP is left with no assemblypersons and only two MPs, including deputy president Tiong King Sing who is Bintulu MP.

See opined that this marks out two groups in Sarawak BN - one with state backing and another with federal endorsement.

Both Mawan and Wong have the support of Sarawak chief minister Adenan Satem, while both Tiong and SUPP chief Peter Chin have federal government backing, he said.

Additional reporting by Kow Gah Chie