Dr Sim (centre) speaks at the news conference. Also seen are Pau (right) and Foo. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi (File Photo)
KUCHING: If he can lead SUPP to a good performance in the Sarawak polls on Saturday, Senator Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian could get to walk in his father’s footsteps.
Tan Sri Sim Kheng Hong was the state’s longest serving deputy chief minister, for 16 years. The senior Sim, who died in 1992 aged 70, was a state assemblyman from 1963 to 1990 and held several state ministerial posts including finance minister.
For his only son, however, the path to the legislative house is fraught with obstacles. The cardiologist turned politican is not only battling to resuscitate SUPP but also staging his second attempt to enter the legislative house.
Once a power-broker in Sarawak politics, Sarawak’s oldest political party is a pale shadow of its former self, its dominance of Chinese politics usurped by the DAP opposition, and several party stalwarts left to form a splinter, the UPP.
With a do-or-die mission in this election, “Sar Kuan” as the Chinese call SUPP due to its triple circle logo, is asking the community to give the party another chance under Dr Sim, who took over as president in 2014, and work alongside popular Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
Members admit that the party was partly to blame for its past failings, including infighting that cost the party heavily at the ballot box in 2006 and 2011.
But that’s in the past they say, the party has reformed and Adenan is throwing his full support behind the 13 SUPP candidates, including Dr Sim.
In Tok Nan, SUPP cannot find a bigger supporter. Since taking over as chief minister, Adenan has held his arms wide open to the Chinese and in the past few days, he has asked the Chinese to vote for all SUPP candidates because he wants the community to be represented in his Cabinet.
“We are working very hard. One of the criticisms in 2011 was the party’s geriatric leadership. In the last two years, we’ve got a lot of young candidates from 30 years to 50 years old,” said Sim, himself 49 years old.
Temenggong Lu Kim Yong, Kuching’s highest ranked Chinese community leader, hoped the factions could resolve their differences and send the message to Chinese voters that they are working together.
“The Chinese comunity does not want a politcal party that is fighting, the sentiment on the ground is when you guys are fighting, I will not support you because you have no time to serve the people. So, stop bickering,” he added.
Political analyst Dr Jeniri Amir agrees.
“To be fair, SUPP has turned over a new leaf and put in a lot of professionals. But with their fighting with UPP, I don’t think there will be much impact on the Chinese electorate even if the carrot of a Chinese deputy chief minister is dangled before them.”
“With Adenan, there will be a swing but not a big one, at best four Chinese seats could return to BN.”
The 13 SUPP candidates are Dr Sim (Batu Kawah), Peter Pau (Padungan), Milton Foo (Pending), Sih Hua Tong (Batu Lintang), Wilfred Yap (Kota Sentosa), Lo Khere Chiang (Batu Kitang), Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii (Repok), Diing Kuong Hiing (Meradong), Chieng Buong Toon (Bukit Assek), Datuk Pau Chong Ung (Tanjong Batu), Datuk Sebastian Ting (Piasau), Datuk Lee Kim Shin (Senadin) and Datuk Francis Harden Hollis (Simanggang). Over half are new faces and all the constituencies are Chinese areas expect for Simanggang, a Dayak constituency, and the mixed seat of Senadin.
Dr Sim had made a lot of changes to SUPP and given more opportunities to branches and younger members, said Yap, who is making his debut in a David versus Goliath fight against state DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen.
“If you look at the current profile of the SUPP leadership, it is totally new. We hope the public will give SUPP the chance to prove themselves once again,” said Yap, a lawyer.
In his signature yellow SUPP shirt with the tagline “United We Can”, Dr Sim said issues critical to the Chinese community were being steadily addressed by Adenan and SUPP had contributed its ideas to the 15-point BN manifesto.
“Issues like a clean and accountable government, business, job opportunities and education are very dear to the Chinese community,” he said.
“The Chinese must decide whether they want to stay outside the government and have no say in government policies and no say to improve policies. Give us the chance to deliver what we promise, and I can assure the Chinese they will not be disappointed.” — BERNAMA