Dr Sim welcomes Wong’s proposal for reconciliation

LUNDU: SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian has welcomed the proposal by UPP president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh for the two Chinese- based parties to reconcile for greater Chinese unity and greater representation in the BN government.

Besides that, he invited opposition parties such as state DAP and PKR to work together for the unity of the community.

“My door is always open ( for reconciliation with UPP). And secondly, I always say, this would include PKR and DAP Sarawak,” Dr Sim told the media during his walkabout at Lundu Town yesterday.

Dr Sim was accompanied by Azizul Adenan and other SUPP leaders who were campaigning for Tanjong Datu by- election BN candidate Datin Patinggi Datuk Amar Jamilah Anu.

There are 1,646 registered Chinese voters in the Malaymajority constituency.

Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Local Government, was commenting on a recent statement made by Wong that he wanted to use his remaining political years to pursue greater Chinese unity and greater Chinese representation in the BN government.

Speaking exclusively to The Borneo Post at his residence on the first day of Chinese New Year in Sibu recently, Wong opined that it was high time for both UPP and SUPP leaders who are all within the BN family to sit down together to think of the interest of the whole Chinese community in the state.

Wong also stressed that it was only fair to say that both SUPP and UPP had enjoyed substantial support from both Chinese and Bumiputera communities. UPP in particular was able to raise RM33 million of its Education Fund from the business community.

Meanwhile, UPP secretarygeneral George Lo said Dr Sim’s response was inappropriate.

“It is highly inappropriate for Dr Sim to make a statement which puts UPP on the same footing as DAP and PKR.

“UPP is not an opposition party. In fact, UPP is part of the BN family. Our president ( Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh) is a full minister, our deputy president ( Datuk Dr Jerip Susil) an assistant minister and our elected representatives Dudong assemblyman Datuk Tiong Thai King, Opar assemblyman Dato Ranum Mina and Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnichal Rayong are sitting together with BN in the State Legislative Assembly.

“So it is highly in appropriate to equate us with the opposition parties, especially when he himself is in the big BN family,” Lo told The Borneo Post.

Lo said UPP was sincere in reconciling but he perceived the statement by Dr Sim as belittling UPP.

“UPP believes that reconciliation would benefit the Chinese community and the larger Sarawakian community as a whole. That is why we are willing to talk for the sake of the betterment of Sarawak as a whole.

“And for us, reconciliation means a merger of two parties where interests of both parties would be fairly treated. It is not UPP appealing to SUPP to open its door,” said Lo.

State DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, when contacted, said DAP joining BN is an impossible scenario.

“For DAP to join BN is impossible. BN is making a mess of the whole country and the people are suffering under this corrupted regime.

“We DAP do not subscribe to such manner of governance. Till this day the BN component parties including SUPP are still supporting and endorsing the mega international scandal of 1MDB, ripping off the taxpayers and causing economic woes to all Malaysians and Sarawakians,” said Chong.

Chong, who is Kuching MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, pointed out that when SUPP was in its heyday, it did not do much for the Chinese community.

“SUPP has had its days of winning all the Chinese seats at both state and federal levels and full representation in BN, yet nothing was done for the Chinese community during those times.

“It is only when the opposition is stronger, providing intense competition and even having the possibility of changing the government that the people will be better and fairly treated,” said Chong.