The Progressive Democratic Party (Malay: Parti Demokratik Progresif, Abbrev: PDP), formerly known as Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (Abbrev: SPDP), is a Sarawak-based political party in Malaysia founded in 2002. The party was founded in the wake of the de-registration of the Sarawak National Party in November 2002 by a faction aligned to the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Abdul Taib Mahmud, led by William Mawan Ikom.[citation needed] The party has since rebranded in using a new name - Progressive Democratic Party since 2017 and has planned to expand to certain West Malaysian states e.g. Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Johor (where it has established 6 divisions at the moment).[2] It is one of the former component party of the Barisan Nasional coalition.[1] Following the fall of BN in the 2018 general election and in the aftermath of meeting between all Sarawak-based BN coalition parties on 12 June 2018, PDP left the coalition to form a new Sarawak-based coalition of Sarawak Parties Alliance.[3]
In April 2024, Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) were merged into PDP and its members were accepted into PDP, including 3 MLAs of PSB.[4]
In the 2013 General Election, all 4 of their candidates won their respective seats, including William Mawan himself, where he won in P205 Saratok, against Ali Biju of PKR.
Chin, James. 2004. 'Sabah and Sarawak: The more things change, the more they remain the same', in Chin Kin Wah (ed) Southeast Asian Affairs 2004 (Singapore: Institute of South East Asian Studies, 2004) (ISBN981-230-238-7)
James Chin. 2011. Forced to the Periphery: Recent Chinese Politics in East Malaysia. Singapore: ISEAS
