UPP cancels all CNY events, celebrations

KUCHING: The United People’s Party ( UPP) has cancelled all its Chinese New Year activities and celebrations.

UPP president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said the decision was made to show respect for Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who passed away on Wednesday.

“In our Chinese tradition, when our loved ones pass away, we stop all celebrations to show our respect. And we are now doing it for Adenan because he was a leader whom we loved and respected,” Wong said in a statement yesterday.

“We Sarawakians owe him a great deal. This is the least we can do for him.”

Wong called on UPP members and supporters to understand the party’s decision.

“Let us join hands to mourn for this leader who had done much for all of us,” he said.

Wong pointed out that Adenan respected people from all walks of life.

“He was a leader who did not make distinction between colour, religion, race and area. He was truly a chief minister of all. When he first became our chief minister in 2014, that was what he promised – to be a chief minister of all and he did what he promised.

“From the 53 initiatives or decisions that he made, we know that he had the welfare of the people at heart,” he said.

Wong stressed Adenan had a deep understanding and concern for the Chinese community and on many occasions, reiterated recognition for the Unified Examination Certificate ( UEC) and that the Chinese are not ‘ pendatang’ (immigrants) but true Sarawakians.

The Second Finance Minister said he also witnessed Adenan’s determination to close the socioeconomic gap between urban and rural areas.

“In April 2015, he asked the Finance Ministry to set aside RM500 million and again in November 2015, another RM500 million.

“The amount totalling RM1 billion was for rural transformation programmes. From there, I could see his heart was also for the people in the rural areas,” said Wong.

On UPP, Wong said although the party was not a Barisan Nasional ( BN) component party, Adenan was very fair to it as he knew the party represented staunch BN supporters.

“We are thankful to him in this regard,” he said.