Former SUPP leaders are selfish and unprincipled, alleges Chin

By Simon Peter

KUCHING, June 4, 2014: Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) president Peter Chun Fah Kui has branded party leaders who have left the party to join Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) as "selfish and unprincipled", saying that their behaviours and utterances betrayed their loyalty to the party and what it stands for.

"For long term stability and progress of the party, every member and leader must accept that the party matters most," he said at the 55th anniversary celebration of SUPP here today.

"There cannot be a conflict between personal and party interest. If there was, the party's interest must always prevail

"It is sad indeed to see some leaders acting as if they were more important than the party. They demanded from others personal loyalty rather than royalty to the party," he alleged in a strongly worded prepared speech.

 Picture: Shouting of the party's unity cry "Sa'ati" at the party headquarters in Kuching.

Although he did not name names, he was obviously referring to former Sibu branch chief Wong Soon Koh, who is also Local Government and Community Development Minister, Assistant Minister Jerip Susil, Engkilili State Assemblyman Johnical Rayong and Opar State Assemblyman Ranum Mina.

They left the party on May 16 to join Teras.

Said Chin:" These members have caused incalculable harm to the party. Our party must ensure that if any member or leader cannot accede to collective leadership and responsibility within the party but choose to glorify oneself, he or she must leave the party or else the party's unity and political strength will be gone."

But Chin immediately contradicted himself when he expressed his sadness "to see former Sibu Branch leader Wong Soon Koh, leading a group of members, especially from Sibu branch, resigning as members of the party and joining Parti Teras, a newly formed Sarawak based party. "

Picture (right): SUPP leaders at the 55th anniversary celebration, from left to right: Sebastian Ting, Alfred Yap, Peter Chin, George Chan and Sim Kheng Hui.

"I had taken note that some leaders who resigned have been in the party for a long time. What has the party central leadership done to cause them to completely lose faith and believe in SUPP?

"I must confess that I cannot understand these members' decision to leave the party," he sighed.

Chin, who is a former federal minister, also sent a strong statement to the State Barisan Nasional leadership to be firm in rejecting leaders and members who "jumped or hopped" from Barisan parties to a newly formed party in the belief that they could lead this party to secure a membership within Barisan.

"By accepting these people into Barisan fold is to encourage such acts of disloyalty to Barisan parties. No doubt such an unhealthy practice which will eventually destroy the very fabric of the Barisan organisation.

"State Barisan and Federal Barisan must send the correct message to everyone that it is not acceptable for "rebels" of Barisan member parties to simply get together to form a political party and expect to join the ruling Barisan coalition," he said.

He said the Barisan must create a good platform for every component party since the next State election is a matter of months away

"The present political environment is not conducive to ensure the best possible outcomes for every Barisan party unless Parti Teras is not allowed to field candidates in constituencies presently held by Parti Teras leaders who had jumped or hopped from either SUPP or SPDP.

"Parti Teras can field candidates in the next elections but as an opposition party. SUPP supports the principle of choosing "winnable" candidates but this must be subjected to another even more important principle, that is, seats that are traditionally allocated to Barisan parties must remain with them unless they do not want such seats anymore.

"In SUPP's case, it has 19 State seats and  seven Parliament seats," he said.

On the 55th anniversary celebration, Chin said that it is most appropriate at this juncture of the party' glorious history since it was registered as a political organisation on June 4, 1959.

"Our founding fathers and subsequent leaders at all levels have contributed and left their marks in the party's glorious history.

"These leaders have made great sacrifices for our party. There were others who spent the most useful part of their life to serve the party in not so glamorous ways throughout the State.

"It is the contributions of the leaders and members that have ensured our party survives for 55 years, making it the oldest party in Sarawak," he said.

"It is true that we do not have the resources of Barisan component parties such as UMNO, MCA or PBB but our leaders and members have unwavering belief in our party's objectives, the most important of which is to create a fair, just and equal society for all.

"I strongly believe that SUPP will ultimately survive no matter what our enemies try to do to destroy us," Chin said.

Among those present was former SUPP president George Chan Hong Nam, who is also a former deputy chief minister.