PRS rivalry spills into Iban assoc
Malaysiakini
Oct  17, 2006
Tony Thien

The factional fight in Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) is likely to spill over to the Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (Sadia) when it holds its election for office-bearers on Oct 28 in Sibu.

It is expected that someone loyal to PRS’ ‘censured president’ Dr James Masing will be pitted against Sadia's incumbent president Sidi Munan, who is also PRS secretary-general aligned to the party's 'acting president' Sng Chee Hua.

Sidi, who has been at the helm of Sadia since its inception in 1984, told malaysiakini today that Sadia still had a lot to do to promote the development of Iban language and education and in defending native customary rights (NCR), especially over land, and that he would continue to lead Sadia as long as members wanted his services.

Sadia's 14 exco members, last elected in 2002, have different political affiliations, including Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) and Sarawak United People's Party (Supp).

Within the exco, Sidi can count on the support from Munan Laja, a Sibu district councillor and Sadia's deputy secretary-general, as well as treasurer German Siong. The Masing allies in the exco include Sadia deputy president Joseph Allen, Richard Will and Matthew Semilan.

Among the exco members are former parliamentary secretary from SUPP Jawan Empaling and others like him who are seen as neutral.

Sadia’s secretary-general Nicholas Mujah is a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) supporter. His post is an appointed one.

“I shall continue to serve if I am still wanted,” he told malaysiakini today.

Notices sent

Meanwhile, Sidi said notices of the triennial delegates conference (TDC) had been sent out to Sadia's 35 branches. About 10 of the letters were returned either because the branches were defunct or had changed addresses.

He said each branch was expected to send three delegates.

Nominations for the various exco posts, including the president’s post, would come from the floor on the day of the meeting and election would be by show of hands, he added.

Responding to some internet postings critical of his leadership, Sidi said the last TDC was held at the end of 2002 and was scheduled to be held three years later, but was postponed to this year because ‘everyone was busy’.

Mujah said the association had informed the Registrar of Societies (ROS) about the new time schedule for the TDC.

“Everyone was busy with the elections, etc and it was not possible to hold the TDC last year as originally scheduled,” he added.

He said the exco decided at a meeting in Sibu two months on the new date, time and place for the TDC.

The agenda includes the election of a permanent chairman, report from the executive committee, tabling of the accounts, tabling of resolutions and election of office-bearers.