Wish fulfilled for return of shophouses
SIBU: The last wish of former Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP) president, the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr Wong Soon Kai, has been fulfilled following the ruling by the High Court here on Tuesday on the ownership of three shophouses in Kampung Datu.
Stating this yesterday, SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said Soon Kai’s last wish was for the property to be returned to SUPP.
“In 2014, Soon Kai called SUPP Sibu branch and me to give us all the documents he had kept very well for many years and said he wanted us to take action on the matter.
“As the party president, I have no choice. Subsequently, Soon Kai’s widow Puan Sri Jane Yong told me that one of his last wishes before he passed away was to make sure all those ( properties) come back to SUPP,” he said when commenting on the court’s ruling.
Dr Sim was met after he officiated at the opening of a five- day ‘ International Youth Enlightenment Camp’ at SMK Sacred Heart here yesterday.
On Tuesday, Sibu High Court ruled that the three units, which housed five SUPP branches namely Bukit Assek, Bawang Assan, Dudong, Pelawan and Nangka, belonged to SUPP.
Judicial Commissioner Dean Wayne Daly said SUPP (the plaintiff) had proven its case on the balance of probabilities.
Dr Sim thanked the SUPP legal team and witnesses who had come forward to testify in the case.
He singled out Yong ( Soon Kai’s widow) for special mention, saying despite her age, she had travelled all the way here from Kuching to testify.
On another matter, Dr Sim, who is Minister of Local Government and Housing, said anyone who is capable and willing to contribute will be given the opportunity to be leaders in SUPP.
“SUPP belongs to all Sarawakians, not just Chinese but also Bumiputera.
“It doesn’t mean that you must come from Kuching or Sibu, or your parents must be politicians. It doesn’t mean that my father was a former politician so I must be the president of this party.
“There’s no such thing. There is also no such thing that I must be a candidate. One must be able to do his job and prove that people are willing to accept him or her,” he said.
He added: “This is the new SUPP. I want to continue to build up SUPP so that the oldest political party in the state can continue to fight for a stronger Sarawak.”
Meanwhile, a total of 225 participants comprising students, teachers and Red Crescent officers from Malaysia, China, Myanmar and Thailand took part in the event organised by Malaysian Red Crescent ( MRC) Sarawak and MRC Sibu.
Also present were MRC Sarawak director John Lam, MRC Sibu chairman Penghulu Chua Hiong Kee, Sibu Resident Hii Chang Kee, Sibu Rural District Council deputy chairman Robert Lau, political secretary to the chief minister Michael Tiang, acting Sibu District Education officer Salemah Chali and SMK Sacred Heart principal David Teo.