Dr Sim: SUPP kept in the dark about Tiong contesting for Dudong

Dr Sim speaking at the media conference. – Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING (Dec 4): Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) was kept in the dark about Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) candidate for Dudong up until 24 hours ahead of the coalition’s announcement on its candidate line-up yesterday.

In revealing this today, SUPP president Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said that he was ‘shocked, disappointed and angry’ over GPS’ decision to field Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing in Dudong this upcoming election and yet, SUPP had little choice but to respect it.

According to Dr Sim, the GPS candidate for Dudong was not Tiong until 24 hours before the announcement.

“I was so shocked — 24 hours beforehand, it was not like that. But the decision has been made, it’s GPS decision and we are all GPS candidates.

“I was shocked, disappointed and angry when I realised that some targets (seats) we asked (for) are not being given to us. Even though I am professional and nice, in politics, people hit below the belt sometimes.

“Since the decision has been made, we must go all-out to support the GPS candidates. I urge Chinese voters in Sarawak to support our GPS candidates.

“GPS government is for all races and (GPS chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri) Abang Johari (Tun Openg) has said we want Chinese (representation) in the government, so he said (told the people to) support Dr Sim and the team in this election,” he told a media conference held at the SUPP Batu Kawah branch in MJC Batu Kawa here.

Traditionally, Dudong has been allocated to SUPP as far as GPS is concerned, and this will mark the first time the Chinese-majority urban seat is contested by another GPS component party.

Not only has SUPP lost its traditional right to contest in Dudong, it also failed to recoup the contesting right in Mambong, which is expected to be defended by GPS incumbent Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, who won the seat as the Barisan Nasional direct candidate in the 2016 polls.

Dr Sim, who is the Batu Kawah incumbent and expected to defend the seat, said that even though he was emotional about GPS’s decision to field Tiong in Dudong, they have to move on.

“Let’s consolidate. Let’s come together to win the 18 seats (that SUPP is contesting) and (better still, all the) 82 seats for GPS.”

The 18 seats that SUPP is contesting are Opar, Padungan, Pending, Batu Lintang, Kota Sentosa, Batu Kitang, Batu Kawah, Simanggang, Engkilili, Repok, Meradong, Bukit Assek, Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Tanjong Batu, Piasau, Pujut and Senadin.

When asked if SUPP would support the GPS candidates fielded in Dudong and Mambong, Dr Sim said everyone would have to take care of his or her own constituency first.

“If I keep on going everywhere and not moving in Batu Kawah, who is going to vote for me? That’s why you don’t see us running here and there,” he added.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3DkWK8X
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