SUPP, UPP merger ‘impossible’ — Former assistant minister
KUCHING: Chinese community leader Temenggong Datuk Tan Joo Phoi opines it is virtually impossible to expect a merger between Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) and United People’s Party ( UPP).
“The Chinese community would not want to see SUPP, the oldest political party in Sarawak, to merge with UPP and become a new political party,” he said yesterday.
“It is not likely for us to see the birth of a new political party because of the merger of SUPP and UPP. SUPP cannot be merged with another party and have its name changed to a new one, this is not something that the Chinese community wants to see,” he said when approached by reporters after attending a function at the CityOne Megamall here.
Tan, who is a former assistant minister and Batu Kawa assemblyman and now an ordinary member of SUPP, felt that it would work better for individuals who had left SUPP to come back to the
The Chinese community would not want to see SUPP, the oldest political party in Sarawak, to merge with UPP and become a new political party. Temenggong Datuk Tan Joo Phoi, Chinese community leader
party.
He said the Chinese community had always wanted the two Chinese- based political parties to iron out their differences and be united as one strong force.
He added that this was for the best interest of the Chinese, who ought to have a stronger representation in the government.
“I hope that leaders of both parties will sort out all the issues and come together to fight for more for the Chinese community,” he said.
Tan said it would be wise for leaders of both SUPP and UPP to have a roundtable on a formula for reconciliation and focus on what more they could do for the Chinese community. To a question, he said he hoped that leaders of both parties would arrange a face-toface discussion so as to reach a consensus among themselves.
“This is for them to seek a solution and I believe that unity is the strength of the Chinese community,” he added.