SERIAN: Members of SUPP Serian branch are strongly against the proposal by certain quarters for the party to be merged with SPDP.
Its chairman Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem said the subject was deliberated on during their branch meeting yesterday, and the members had expressed their strongest objection to the proposal.
“We do not want to merge with SPDP. We discussed it earlier (during the meeting) and the SUPP Serian branch strongly objects to the merger,” he said after chairing the branch meeting here yesterday.
The Serian MP and Human Resources Minister stated that the branch members believed that the merger was not necessary as the party would one day become strong again.
Asked whether there was any truth to the merger proposal, Riot said he would prefer to leave the question for SUPP president Tan Sri Peter Chin and SPDP deputy president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing to answer.
At the branch level, he said members had vowed to ensure that the branch get stronger and stronger.
He said he was happy to note that the branch currently had about 4,000 members and since the last meeting, they managed to recruit about 800 new members.
“We are improving and they have agreed just now that we are not going to be weakened with the crisis happening in the party.”
He said the high spirit demonstrated by the members went to the extent that they would be ‘changing’ their uniform to signify the new spirit in the party, adding that the new uniform would bear SUPP and Barisan Nasional emblems.
“We are already very strong otherwise we won’t be able to win the last general election by 13,000 majority (votes). It’s not easy but we want to make ourselves stronger.”
Meanwhile, Riot thanked outgoing Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who will be stepping down on Feb 28, for his contribution to the state’s development for the last 33 years.
“We note that he has served the state for the last 33 years and has been a minister at both federal and state for the last 50 years. We would like to thank him for his great contributions towards the nation and Sarawak in particular.”
At the same time, he hopes that Taib will continue to help the state by giving his advice even when he takes up his new appointment as the Head of State.
He also welcomed Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem who will be succeeding Taib as chief minister.
“We believe with his (Adenan’s) experience at both the state and federal levels, he will continue the good work of Pehin Sri Taib and as mentioned by Tan Sri Adenan himself that he will be the chief minister of all races.”