Members gesture at the SUPP ADC 2018.
KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) wants a more people-centric policy that benefits the people of Sarawak.
Its president Datuk Dr Sim Hui Kian said this was one of the resolutions passed during the party’s Annual Delegates Conference (ADC) at SUPP headquarters here yesterday.
Dr Sim, who is Minister of Local Government and Housing, said: “We want to tell the Sarawak government that we should be more compassionate with people.”
He told the media after the closed–door ADC that the meeting was to inform SUPP members why the party had to join the newly formed Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS).
He said GPS is not like the old Barisan Nasional (BN) and not ‘old wine in a new bottle’.
“Because we have only one chance to get GPS right before the next state election, we don’t make the same mistake otherwise people say it’s ‘old wine in a new wineskin’,” he said.
On the other resolutions, he said they would be presented to the Sarawak government and the federal government.
Among the resolutions are confirmation of leaving BN, full support for Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to lead GPS; agreeing to the formation of GPS comprising SUPP, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS); urging the Sarawak government to consider allocating shares in Petros to all Sarawakians, including newborns in dividends to be declared and paid on a yearly basis to all Sarawakian shareholders; urging the Sarawak government to amend the Land Code to allow the conversion of all leasehold titles for all residential areas in town areas, sub-urban areas and agricultural land owned by private individuals to freehold title, in perpetuity and free from any payment of premium and other costs.
The ADC also passed a resolution to fully support the Sarawak government in continuing to defend the state’s ownership rights over oil and gas resources.
“To this effect, we urge Sarawakians not to accept 20 per cent profit from oil and gas,” he said.
Apart from that, the party fully supports ongoing efforts by the Sarawak government to continue defending ownership rights as contained in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), and in accordance with the Sarawak Constitution and Federal Constitution.
“We need all Sarawakians to support the rights. The journey is challenging, long and hard, which we will continue to pursue,” he said.
The resolutions also include urging the Sarawak government to provide free public transport in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri and other townships in Sarawak as soon as possible; urging the Sarawak government to provide a sum of RM2,000 to a family when a family member passes away; urging the Sarawak government to provide a sum of RM2,000 for all newborn Sarawakians and to urge the Sarawak government to allocate suitable agriculture land for genuine persons who wish to take up modern farming.
Among those present at the press conference was SUPP secretary general Datuk Sebastian Ting, who is also Piasau assemblyman.