Unity the issue

1

Dr Sim speaks to reporters. Photo by Clarissa Chai

KUCHING: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian yesterday said that collaboration between SUPP and United People’s Party (UPP) before elections “is not called unity”.

The Minister of Local Government and Housing said he had repeatedly invited leaders and members of UPP to come back to SUPP, a component party of the state Barisan Nasional (BN).

Dr Sim added that the Chinese community had also appealed to UPP “to join us SUPP as we are currently in the transformation process and I need as many hands as possible” so as to ensure a viable succession plan for the party.

“If what they (UPP) mean by collaboration is just in terms of sharing of seats, it’s not called unity. Under the BN principle, only BN component parties are allocated seats.

“Is their collaboration just working with other BN component parties? If they (UPP) breach the BN principle in the 14th general election (GE14), it’s just like Pakatan Harapan or Pakatan Raykat,” he told reporters after attending a function at the Sarawak Turf Club here.

Dr Sim thus urged all UPP leaders and members to return to SUPP, pointing out: “After all, Dato Sri Wong (Soon Koh) is a senior member of the party (SUPP).”

He quickly added: “Even if he (Wong) did not have prominent achievements in the party (SUPP), he had his contributions to the party.” He said the party had given them (UPP) all the opportunities to come back to SUPP for this was the only way to uphold the BN principle.

Dr Sim stressed that only candidates from BN component parties “can legally use the BN logo” in any elections, quipping: “Candidates nominated by BN-SUPP do not have to resign from the party in order to stand in elections.”

Noting that Wong had openly stated that going back to SUPP was not an option, he said: “Collaboration or merger, it is basically coming back (to SUPP). The Chinese community has apparently advised them (UPP) to come back. I’m not a lawyer, I’m not good at twisting the word.”

Asked whether he and Wong had met in private to talk through the matter, Dr Sim said: “We always talk and there are other people talking also.”

Dr Sim declined to disclose what they talked about and added that he could not speculate what Wong would do next.

“Sharing of seats before the elections is not called unity. It (split) is long enough and it’s time (for UPP) to come back (to SUPP),” he added.

During UPP’s Extraordinary Delegates Conference on Saturday, Wong said the party was ready to act in unison and join forces with SUPP to reclaim the Chinese-majority urban seats in GE14.

The six parliamentary seats that BN lost to the opposition during the 2013 general elections were Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Sibu, Lanang, Sarikei and Miri.

On May 7, Wong told reporters that a merger between UPP and SUPP would be good on the Chinese community to see a stronger representation in the BN government.

He said both parties could talk about collaboration instead of SUPP inviting UPP members to go back to SUPP.

“I was sacked from SUPP. If I want to go back (to SUPP), they must re-accept me. Isn’t it? Many of us in UPP were sacked by SUPP, including (UPP deputy president) Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.

“So, what I meant is, in conclusion, a merger would do good on the Chinese community to see a stronger representation in BN. Why not?” said Wong after attending the state BN pre-council meeting.