KUCHING: A Chinese community leader Temenggong Lu Kim Yong brushed aside talks that the appointment of new Chinese Kapitans for Kuching Division recently has widened the rift between the two feuding factions in Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).
He also described such accusation as “nonsense and baseless”.
“Before I was appointed temenggong, there were many vacancies for Chinese community leaders left unnoticed for a very long time. Several community leaders whose term has expired were left unattended to. These resulted in very poor services given to the community and thus grudges started to creep in,” Lu stated through a press statement received here yesterday.
He added that the reshuffling of Chinese community leadership recently with young and qualified candidates willing to serve the people regardless of political background had won back some of the people’s trust. They were now more willing to work together with the community leaders.
Unfortunately, he claimed, there was a small group of people with self interest and personal agenda making use of the appointment of new community leaders an issue and continued to create discord between the two conflicting parties in SUPP.
“It is these irresponsible people who cause the loss of confidence among the people towards SUPP and its leadership, and turn their back on SUPP.
“At this very challenging time, I sincerely hope that the accusation would stop. The conflicting parties must look at the root cause of the problem, admit their fault and shortcomings, strive harder to give their best services to the people in order to win back their trust and support.
“Only a strong team working cohesively can service the community well and achieve their goal. A wise leader should be able to take the responsibility, walk the talk, calm the rift and place others ahead of oneself for the benefit of all,” said Lu.
SUPP is awaiting a reply from Registrar of Societies (ROS) over the party’s explanation to ROS’ show cause letter following complaints by several members that several branch election in the run up to SUPP’s last triennial delegates conference were tainted by irregularities. The issue caused a split between the party’s central leadership headed by Tan Sri Peter Chin and another group led by SUPP Sibu chief Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
In the numbers’ game, Chin only has one elected representative in his camp – deputy president Datuk Seri Richard Riot (Serian MP) while Wong has six assemblymen namely Wong himself (Bawang Assan), Datuk Francis Harden Hollis (Simanggang), Datuk Lee Kim Shin (Senadin), Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Dr Johnical Rayong (Engkilili) and Ranum Mina (Opar). On top of that all three SUPP appointed political secretaries to the Chief Minister are siding Wong.
To compound SUPP’s political problem, talks are also rife that a new party is being set up to replace SUPP within the BN should the party is deregistered. Both factions have denied that they have got anything to do with the new party