UPP Bawang Assan branch recommends Andrew for Sibu seat
SIBU: United People’s Party ( UPP) Bawang Assan branch has proposed that UPP Sibu Community Service Board chairman Dato Andrew Wong Kee Yew be the Barisan Nasional ( BN) candidate for Sibu parliamentary seat in the 14th general election.
The proposal was announced on Monday night at UPP Bawang Assan branch’s pre- Gawai Dayak celebration at a hotel here.
“I know the parliamentary election is near. UPP will certainly put up a candidate for the BN when it comes to election,” UPP president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said when addressing the gathering.
“In the past seven days, we went to all the 99 longhouses in Bawang Assan constituency and it was Andrew Shiling ( chairman of UPP Bawang Assan Bumiputra Unit) who followed me to every longhouse who said we have a candidate in the person of Dato Andrew Wong.”
However, Wong who is the Second Finance Minister and Minister of International Trade and E- commerce, said, “It is not easy for Andrew to be the candidate not because he does not have the ability but because he is my son.”
He said people might accuse him of setting up a dynasty by recommending his son for the parliamentary seat.
“I hope people of Sibu will take into account the ability of a person, his talent and the capability to perform and deliver when accepting a winnable candidate.
“Judging on his ability, I can tell you that I do not know any young man who has greater determination than Andrew when wanting to get something done.
“Things like the setting up education institutions - Andrew is instrumental in setting up the Laila College, Maritime Sarawak Academy and University College Technology of Sarawak ( UCTS).
“He has served in education for 15 years as soon as he came back with masters in technology from Australia,” Wong said.
He added: “Of course, we are grateful to Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud for a helping hand but the person who did all the jobs who went around getting things done was Andrew.”
Wong recalled: “I know in the inaugural graduation ceremony of UCTS, the vice chancellor of UCTS said I was the ‘ father’ of the university.
“Immediately what came to my mind was that more work was done by my son and of course with the helping hands of Tun Pehin Sri.”
He said when Andrew was made deputy chairman of Sibu Municipal Council, within the first week in office he wrote to him 22 projects for implementation in Sibu.
Wong said most of those plans could be done, but as his position as the deputy chairman was cut short, he was able to deliver six or seven projects, mostly on improving, resurfacing and upgrading a few hundred of urban and sub-urban roads.
“Although his appointment was cut short, he has initiated great plans and I know deep in my heart, he is a Sibu boy and he wants to help develop Sibu and I know he can do it, given the opportunity,” he said.
On Andrew’s likelihood of being a BN candidate in the next general election, Wong said he hoped people of Sibu and BN leaders would not judge Andrew based on the fact that he is his son but on his capability.
Wong said his party being part and parcel of the BN is ever ready to face the Parliamentary Election.
He said the fact that he and UPP vice president Datuk Dr Jerip Susil are in the state cabinet and other party members working in government bodies and agencies is sufficient evidence that UPP is part and parcel of the BN.