It’s do or die for SUPP in next state elections

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Dr Sim (second right) addressing the media as (from left) Lee, SUPP deputy secretary-general Si Hua Tong and Ting listen attentively.

KUCHING: For Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), the next state election remains crucial in determining its very survival.

President Senator Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said the topic was so ‘hot’ among those attending the party’s central working committee (CWC) meeting yesterday.

“Regardless of different opinions, at least we have come to a common agreement that the next state election is so important for the survival of SUPP.

“Whether the party would still be alive, or perish, is very much dependent on that,” he told reporters after the meeting at its headquarters here.

SUPP expects to contest in all 19 traditionally-allocated seats in the next state polls, which must be held not later than May 2016. Back in 2011, it secured only six state seats.

Under the current Barisan Nasional (BN) seat arrangement formula, the 19 for SUPP are Opar, Bengoh, Padungan, Pending, Kota Sentosa, Batu Lintang, Batu Kawah, Simanggang, Engkilili, Meradong, Repok, Bukit Assek, Dudong, Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Kidurong, Piasau, Senadin and Pujut.

For now, SUPP is only left with two assemblymen in Datuk Lee Kim Shin for Senadin, and Datuk Francis Harden Hollis (Simanggang).

Four state representatives formerly with the party but now with newly-formed United People’s Party (UPP) are Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh (Bawang Assan), Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Ranum Mina (Opar) and Dr Johnical Rayong (Engkilili).

However Dr Sim was tight-lipped on election-related matters debated by CWC during the meeting.

“What I can assure you is that although we are an ‘old party’, we have many new leaders and they have new style of doing things,” he said.

On another matter, Dr Sim said the CWC also agreed to officially declare their full support to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem for his action in tackling issues discussed between the party and himself.

These included funding for Chinese independent schools, which was resolved when Adenan announced a RM3-million grant for them recently; as well as the squatters dilemma in Miri which saw the Land and Survey Department director meeting SUPP secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting upon instruction from Adenan.

He pointed out the party would continue to work together with Adenan either at cabinet level through vice-presidents Lee and Harden – both of whom are also state assistant ministers – or through party-to-party level in order to resolve long-standing issues affecting all communities.

“We will work with the Chief Minister to ensure that more issues affecting communities, irrespective of race or religion, would be solved. On the other hand, we are 100 per cent with Adenan on religious issues, especially the use of the word ‘Allah’ by Christians,” Dr Sim said.

Yesterday’s CWC meeting, which took about four hours, was the second organised under the new leadership headed by Dr Sim, who took over as president on Sept 9.