KUCHING: A central working committee (CWC) meeting of Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) has recommended that the party’s Bumiputera elected representatives be considered to serve in the state cabinet.
Of the six state constituencies SUPP retained during the polls last Saturday, four namely Opar, Bengoh, Simanggang and Engkilili are Bumiputera-majority seats held by Bumiputera assemblymen Ranum Mina, Dr Jerip Susil, Datuk Francis Harden Hollis and Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa respectively.
“Judging from the results of the election, we have strong backup and support from the Bumiputeras. Out of the six seats, four are predominantly Bumiputera seats.
“Our CWC has recommended that these elected Bumiputera representatives be considered but of course the prerogative will be left to the chief minister,” SUPP treasurer Datuk David Teng told the press at the party’s headquarters here yesterday.
The former Repok assemblyman said the party had some recommendations for its two Chinese elected representatives in the persons of Bawang Assan assemblyman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and Senadin assemblyman Datuk Lee Kim Shin. Teng refused to disclose what kind of recommendations had been put forward as he reiterated that the decision lay in Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud’s hands.
“Sorry, this is our internal and privileged information. It is up to the chief minister what to do with the views expressed by the party.”
SUPP president Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan and secretary-general Datuk Sim Kheng Hui were absent from the news conference as the duo had earlier on handed in their resignation letters.
According to Teng, the CWC meeting did not endorse the duo’s decision to quit.
After the April 16 election, Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) president Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek has called on SUPP not to accept any position in the Sarawak state cabinet as the party had lost the Chinese community’s support.
To Teng, this was merely a personal view, while avoiding a direct response.
“That is his (Dr Chua’s) opinion as a friendly party to SUPP, I have no comment,” he said.
However, Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Lim Guan Eng in a media statement said Dr Chua’s call was to help SUPP hide from addressing a key issue.
“If Chua is consistent then he should have given similar advice to Gerakan president Dr Koh Tsu Koon,” said the Chief Minister of Penang.
After Dr Koh lost badly in the 2008 general elections, he was appointed a senator and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Unity and Performance Management).
Lim, who is Bagan MP, felt that Dr Chua should not racialise the results of the 10th state election.