SIBU: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) vice-chairman Datuk Francis Hardin said his party would field a candidate in Bawang Assan under the Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket in the coming state election.
Speaking at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the party’s Bawang Assan branch yesterday, he said SUPP had the right to the seat as it was a BN component party.
He dismissed United People’s Party (UPP) claim that it was part of the state BN.
He called on Bumiputera voters in Bawang Assan to remain with BN.
To the councillors and longhouse chiefs, he urged them to work with SUPP as it was part of the BN family.
“Therefore, you should not be scared of facing persecution working with SUPP, for we are a family in the state Barisan Nasional,” he added.
Party secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting, though not mentioning any name as their candidate for Bawang Assan, dropped a hint.
“If the party fields Bawang Assan branch chairman Robert Lau Hui Yew as the candidate, the people must fully support him in the spirit of the state Barisan Nasional.”
Ting said three more state constituencies in Sibu – Bukit Assek, Dudong and Pelawan – traditionally belonged to SUPP.
Meanwhile, SUPP organising secretary Mathew Chen said the party had wanted to set up five branches in Sibu as early as 2005, but because of the problems it faced, the plan was not realised.
“We re-applied with the ROS and this was approved on Aug 6.”
In-coming Bawang Assan branch chairman Robert Lau, in his speech, said the Bawang Assan state constituency represented a diverse community – from the urban Chinese population to the rural community of Ibans and Melanaus in Rassau.
He said the new leaders must speak up on issues that concern Sarawak.