Riot ‘ever ready’ to defend Serian seat
SERIAN: Minister for Human Resources Dato Sri Richard Riot Jaem is all set to defend Serian in the 14th general election which is speculated to be called possibly this year.
The six-term Serian MP said he had already decided that he would stand again in the next general election.
“I think I’m still fit to stand for another round and I’m well prepared for it. To be exact, I can tell you my operation room is ever ready if election is held tomorrow.
“If you don’t believe, you can visit and look at my operation room now,” he told a press conference after launching the career exploration convoy at Serian Community Park on saturday.
Riot first won the Serian seat in 1990 as an independent. In 1995 he was elected on a Barisan Nasional ticket.
After serving for more than 20 years as a backbencher, Riot was appointed as Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs on June 1, 2010.
After the 13th general election in 2013, he was appointed as Minister for Human Resources.
Asked about reports that Sarawak United People’s Party’s ( SUPP) wish to contest in all the seven parliamentary seats that were traditionally allocated to the party, he said it was for the party president to answer.
“I’m not the president. I’m only the deputy president, so leave it to the president to answer that kind of question,” he said.
“But all I can say is I will stand and I’m prepared even if election is to be held tomorrow,” he said.
Aside from Serian, other seats traditionally allocated to SUPP are Kuching, Sibu, Stampin, Miri, Sarikei and Lanang, which the party lost during the 2013 general election.
SUPP currently holds just the Serian parliamentary seat through Riot.