KOTA SAMARAHAN: Datuk Seri Peter Chin who is contesting the SUPP president’s post at the triennial delegate’s conference side-stepped the question on the exclusion of the party’s Bumiputera elected representatives in his team.
“This is very subjective; I am not prepared to discuss it. It was their opinion and I am not prepared to discuss it openly,” he said.
Chin, who is Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister was posed the question at a news conference after a dialogue session with staff and students of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) here yesterday.
Indicating that it was the Bumiputera assemblymen and MP who did not wish to support his team rather than him
shutting the door to them, he added: “I wish they will support me but if they don’t, what can
I do. I cannot force anybody.”
The SUPP bumiputera elected representatives comprising Serian MP Datuk Richard Riot and state assemblymen Datuk Francis Hardin (Simanggang), Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Dr Johnical Rayong (Engkilili) have declared their support for Chin’s contender, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
Chin also would not comment whether there was any possibility that there could be a compromise between him and Wong to avoid contesting for the president’s post.
“I have no comment on that. But I have to say this: I have been working towards December 11 when we are to have election of our president because Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan has decided to retire and I have been working over the past few weeks towards this objective.
Asked whether he was confident of getting the president’s post, he replied: “Otherwise I will not have contested.”
Rumours have it that Chin’s line-up comprises the party’s secretary-general Datuk Sim Kheng Hui (deputy president), Datuk David Teng (secretary-general) and Datuk Alfred Yap (treasurer).
Also in his team are Datuk Lily Yong and Tan Joo Phoi among others.