40 SDNU branches back Rayong for deputy president post
KUCHING: Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa has been given the nod by 40 branches of Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) to contest for the union’s deputy president post.
These branches also want Rayong to be the running mate of incumbent union president Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom, who is set to defend the post.
When met after his campaign trail here on Sunday night, Rayong said with such great number of branches giving him assurance, he felt confident that he could be the next deputy president after Kapit MP and advisor to the Chief Minister, Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, decided not to seek reelection.
It is still not clear who Rayong’s opposition will be in the next SDNU election of office-bearers, slated for March 9, which is the date of its 35th triennial general assembly (TGA) to take place at Imperial Hotel here. The SDNU, which is 63 years old, has 46 active branches.
On March 8, a prelude dinner will be held at the same hotel, with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg attending as the guest-of-honour.
Rayong, who is advisor to the SDNU Engkilili- Skrang branch, begun his campaign trail in January – starting with a roadshow in Skrang before holding another two events at Sarikei and Sibu last month.
“Have faith in the president and myself to bring SDNU to greater heights. We also hope to have good and united office-bearers so that the running of SDNU internally and externally will be smooth,” said Rayong, adding that he is not a ‘newbie’ in the union – he has been a member since 1996, while Mawan, since the 1970s.
Meanwhile Mawan, who officiated at the Sunday night roadshow here, said in his speech that the SDNU supreme executive committee ( SEC) would be more united to enable it to embark on new economic frontiers, while maintaining the preservation and protection of Dayak culture and traditions.
According to him, the SDNU constitution allows it to engage in business ventures and with the support of the mainstream government and private sector, SDNU would do well.
He said the idea of SDNU engaging in business and economic activities was the aspiration of the majority, particularly the younger members of the union. Mawan, who is Pakan assemblyman, said that if he were to be re- elected, he would like to revisit the spirit of SDNU of the 1960s.
He pointed out that it was SDNU founders’ idea to unite all Dayak ethnic groups under one roof through social solidarity. However as time went by the idea was derailed due to internal politics where the Iban dominance was seen as key factor for other races to set up their own associations in order to move forward.
Mawan said he had already started to change things when initiating change of constitution to include leaders of other Dayakbased associations in the SEC; hence the increase in number of SEC posts (elective and appointed) from 17 to 39, he added.
He said it was imperative that races other than the Ibans would have good sense of belonging in SDNU so that the number one objective of the union – to promote racial solidarity – could be enhanced in line with the government’s policy of promoting racial harmony.
Mawan told guests at the event that he was instrumental in forming the SDNU Sibu branch and was very supportive of it when he was a member of the Sarawak cabinet. Mawan also mulled setting a Puteri (young women) wing to cater for the needs and aspirations of women members aged 30 and below.
SDNU already has a women wing, the Serakup Indu Dayak Sarawak, and its youth wing Belia SDNU.