UPP Youth open to reconciliation with SUPP

KUCHING: The youth movement of United People’s Party (UPP) is open to calls by Chinese community leaders for Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) and UPP to reconcile.

“We are taking the calls seriously with the hope of greater unity among the Chinese and also all the Bumiputera members from both parties, so we can have greater representation in the Barisan Nasional (BN) government,” UPP Central Youth chief Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa told a press conference after chairing UPP Central Youth meeting at the party’s headquarters in Jalan Pending here yesterday.

He was responding to a call by president of Federation of Chinese Associations, Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Divisions, Datuk Richard Wee for UPP and SUPP to reconcile; for UPP to seriously consider returning to SUPP; and for SUPP to seriously consider accepting UPP.

“It is our fervent hope that they can come together and be united to better represent our Chinese community in our government in Sarawak,” Wee was quoted as saying during its Chinese New Year gathering cum 38th anniversary dinner last month.

Rayong who is Engkilili assemblyman said the reconciliation, if realised, would strengthen UPP within BN for the benefit of all communities.

“In politics, there is always a possibility,” Rayong said, adding that youth members thanked Wee for his initiative and concern for the unity of the community in the state.

Rayong said UPP, which has five elected representatives, was very much part of BN. The five assemblymen are Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh (Bawang Assan), Datuk Tiong Thai King (Dudong), Datuk Dr Jerip Susil (Mambong), Datuk Ranum Mina (Opar) and Rayong.