SUPP delegates to elect top leadership for first time – Dr Sim
KUCHING: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian yesterday confirmed that the party’s central secretariat received more than 125 nominations for the Central Committee (CC).
The Minister of Local Government and Housing declined to provide the figure but only said “slightly over” when pressed for the exact number.
“We are supposed to get 125 nominations, it (what we received) is just slightly over. We will see what people do in the next few days. If there are no withdrawals, we go for election,” he said when met by journalists at the SUPP headquarters here.
The elections of CC and the party’s top five posts will be carried out at SUPP headquarters on Dec 22, the last day of its triennial delegates conference (TDC).
The top five posts are president, secretary-general, two deputy presidents and treasurer.
According to Dr Sim, any withdrawals must be done before Dec 22 or an election of CC will be imminent.
“We will elect the CC first and then the top five posts. We call it a direct election because all the delegates will elect the top five posts.
“But we don’t know how many delegates will be present on Dec 22 to vote. Because you may be a voter, you may decide not to turn up,” he said.
The total number of SUPP delegates expected at the TDC which is fixed for Dec 21 to 22 are 517.
Dr Sim said the nomination forms for the top five posts would be made available from tomorrow (Dec 18).
These nominations forms must be submitted to the party’s central secretariat by Dec 21, he added.
“By Dec 22, we will elect. It’s very simple. We are democratic even though our party name does not start with the word democratic,” he chuckled.
Sim pointed out that the coming TDC would mark the first time of direct election for the top five posts in SUPP history.
“In the old days, delegates elected 125 CC members and the 125 CC members will among themselves elect the CWC (Central Working Committee).
“This time, we decide the election of top five posts not limited to such a small group since the delegates will be here.”
We are supposed to get 125 nominations, it (what we received) is just slightly over. We will see what people do in the next few days. If there are no withdrawals, we go for election. — Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, SUPP president