Donald Lawan
YB Masir Kujat
SWP to field Donald Lawan in Sri Aman?
by Lian Cheng, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on March 17, 2013, Sunday
KUCHING: Rumours are rife that Sarawak Workers Party (SWP) is negotiating with former Bukit Begunan assemblyman Donald Lawan to contest in Sri Aman in the fast-approaching 13th general election under a SWP ticket.
Word from the grapevines is that SWP has dropped its potential candidates for Sri Aman, namely William Pilo and Andy Lawrence, after a ground check and was now wooing the shrewd businessman Donald – a very influential figure in this predominantly Iban constituency.
Donald is also known to be a close friend of SWP advisor Datuk Sng Chee Hua.
However, SWP president Larry Sng, when contacted, said he would not disclose their candidate for Sri Aman until closer to the polls.
SWP has thus far announced their candidates for only two of the six seats they are eyeing, namely Pelagus assemblyman George Lagong for Hulu Rajang and Meluan assemblyman Wong Judat for Julau.
“All I can day is that we have not spoken to Donald about this and it has not been discussed within the election committee. There is nothing much to comment on it,” said former Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office Larry, who is Chee Hua’s son.
He, however, confirmed that William and Andy are SWP members but not Donald.
In the 1987 state election, Donald stood as a SNAP candidate against PBDS’ Dato Sri Daniel Tajem in Bukit Begunan and won by a razor thin 59 votes.
They met again in 1991 but this Tajem managed to turn the table with a 534-vote majority, thus putting an end to Donald’s political career but not his influence.
Talk of Donald contesting in Sri Aman against its MP Masir Kujat of the BN has aroused much interest because his (Donald) son Snowdan Lawan is PRS assemblyman for Balai Ringin. Snowdan is also a supreme council member of PRS, a BN component party.
Sri Aman, a PRS seat, houses the state constituencies of Simanggang, Balai Ringin and Bukit Begunan.
Donald had stated his intention of contesting as an independent in Sri Aman last year due to fallout between him and Masir.
Donald was the director of operation for Masir in the 12th general election in 2008. He was said to have helped Masir to win by garnering 9,700 votes against independent candidate Cobbold John Lusoi who registered 5,448 votes.
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