‘SUPP sees opportunity to wrest back lost seats’

0
Dr Sim (front centre) leads over 300 delegates in cheering ‘Sa’ati’. From front sixth left are Riot, secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting and treasurer Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing.

Dr Sim (front centre) leads over 300 delegates in cheering ‘Sa’ati’. From front sixth left are Riot, secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting and treasurer Datuk Ding Kuong Hiing.

KUCHING: The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) sees an opportunity to wrest back the six parliamentary seats it lost during the 2013 election as the opposition is currently in disarray.

SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said SUPP need to get back the seats as well as retain Serian during the next parliamentary election due by 2018.

“So we stand a chance to win back those six seats. If we cannot win, it means that we lose to ourselves, and not the opposition, because we are not united enough,” he said when opening SUPP’s annual delegates’ conference
yesterday.

During the last parliamentary election, SUPP lost Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sarikei, Sibu and Lanang to the Democratic Action Party (DAP), while Miri went to Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

Minister of Human Resources Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem was the only incumbent to retain his seat and is now SUPP deputy president.

Dr Sim stressed that
the more parliamentary seats SUPP is able to deliver, the higher the chance of having the party’s voice heard in Putrajaya.

“Of course, we want to win all seven seats, but we have to be realistic. If we can win six of the seven seats, Riot’s voice in the federal cabinet will be louder.

“By louder, I don’t mean that Riot raises his voice in cabinet. When we have the number, the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) can hear Riot even when he whispers. That’s why we must win in the coming general elections,” he said.

According to him, 70 per cent of those expected to cast their votes in the next election would be new voters.

In Stampin constituency alone at least 2,000 new voters could be expected.

He called on potential candidates to be on the
ground at all times and do their best to be the voice of the community.

“Do not speak up just for the sake of publicity, but focus on real service. Let the results speak, and what we can do is continue to be sincere in servicing the people.

“While we want to win all seven parliamentary seats, we cannot deceive ourselves that we can win all. But I want all of you to put your trust in me, that I will do my level best for the party,” he said.

Dr Sim added that SUPP would continue to support Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem and the state government’s efforts to reclaim Sarawak’s rights.

As far as the party is concerned, SUPP would continue to defend Sarawak’s interests under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 besides rejecting hudud law.

“Even if we may not be able to reclaim Sarawak’s rights now, we must continue fighting, and who knows, our next generation may be able to achieve what we didn’t,” he said.

Dr Sim also called on the opposition in Sarawak to sever ties with their counterparts in the peninsula.

“If the opposition can deliver what they claim, why wouldn’t the Prime Minister want to talk to them? The opposition should divorce themselves from Peninsular Malaysia first, as I don’t think (Penang Chief Minister and national DAP secretary-general) Lim Guan Eng has time for Sarawak,” he claimed.