STAR to field 14 candidates

1
Soo (seated fourth left) with the 12 candidates at the press conference.

Soo (seated fourth left) with the 12 candidates at the press conference.

KUCHING: The State Reform Party (STAR) will field 14 candidates including in two new seats for the state polls.

STAR president Lina Soo told a press conference that two of the candidates would only be revealed tomorrow on Nomination Day.

The 12 candidates named yesterday were Mura Kadir (Tanjong Datu), Teo Kuang Kim (Padungan), Buln Ribos (Serembu), Johnny Aput (Bukit Semuja), Marcus Kanyong (Bukit Begunan), Moh Hiong King (Bukit Assek), Mary Ting (Dudong), Wong Sing Wei (Bawang Assan), Priscilla Lau (Pelawan), Simon Tiong (Nangka), Mohammed Annuar Abdul Hamid (Jepak) and Chieng Lea Phing (Tanjong Batu).

The party also released its manifesto covering nine points: restoring Negara Sarawak status as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963; governance transformation; maximum autonomy; territorial seas and marine resources; Borneonisation; land commission and rural reforms; languages and education; freedom of religion; and from third world to first world.

“Sarawak is one of three equal partners with Malaysia and Sabah within the Federation of Malaysia, and is not one of 13 states.

“We shall restore Sarawak with the Negara status as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” she said.

According to Soo, STAR has a strong team of candidates from a Sarawak party that is pro-people, who will fight for the rights of the state and its political status.

She said STAR, which has been in existence for 20 years, is now a reborn party following its election of new office bearers two weeks ago.

STAR founding president Dr Patau Rubis died on March 20 after collapsing during the party’s annual general meeting here.

He formed STAR in 1995 after his suspension from the Sarawak National Party (SNAP) and sacking as an assistant minister.