‘UPP-SUPP MoU lapsed after state govt quit BN’
KUCHING: The memorandum of understanding ( MoU) signed between United People’s Party (UPP) and Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) automatically lapsed when the Sarawak government pulled out of Barisan Nasional ( BN), UPP president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said.
The MoU which was signed by both parties prior to the 14th general election was to solve the impasse between the two parties to work together in all forms to develop Sarawak as well as to enable UPP candidates to contest under the SUPP flag for the election.
The signing of the MoU on March 23 in a ceremony witnessed by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg saw Wong and his deputy president Datuk Dr Jerip Susil exchanging the documents with SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian and SUPP secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting.
“Since there is no more BN, the MoU is automatically lapsed,” said Wong after attending the Gagasan Parti Sarawak (GPS) pre- council meeting at the PBB headquarters yesterday.
He however did not elaborate further as to how the MoU would affect both parties under the new GPS coalition.
On a related matter, he said UPP was still studying the possibility
Since there is no more BN, the MoU is automatically lapsed. Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, UPP president
for the party to have a new name and image within the next six months.
“We do not want people to think that UPP is a Chinese- based party,” said Wong, who is also Minister of International Trade and E- Commerce.
He hoped through the rebranding process, the people’s misconception that the party is a Chinese-based party would be eliminated.
“The taskforce ( however) has yet to decide whether to change the name or to rebrand the party to make it more multiracial,” he added.