SIBU: President of the United People’s Party (UPP), Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has reiterated he is ready to discuss with the leadership of the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) their differences.
He hoped the start of the new year according to the Chinese calendar would herald a new chapter for both parties to hold discussions for the benefit of the Chinese community in the state.
Wong, who is also Second Minister of Finance, was interviewed by reporters during the Chinese New Year visit by Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and his wife, Datin Amar Datuk Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang to his residence at Ipoh Road here.
Also present were State Secretary, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Assistant Minister for Housing, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Assistant Minister for Public Health, Datuk Dr Jerip Susip, Dudong State Assemblyman, Datuk Tiong Thai King, Engkilili State Assemblyman, Dr Johnical Rayong and Wong’s wife, Datin Sri Pauline Leong.
According to Wong, both UPP and SUPP can achieve a consensus to strengthen unity among the Chinese besides having more representatives in the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition.
“Since we are both in the BN family, it is meaningless for both parties to continue fighting each other. If this situation continues, both sides will lose.
“But if we work together, we will both win and put the Chinese community in a better position to work together with other communities in BN,” he explained.
Asked about the position of the people’s representatives of UPP in BN, Wong, who is also Bawang Assan State Assemblyman, said that the people’s representatives of UPP were still part of the big BN family.
He was confident that Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg had a solution for the people’s representatives of UPP.
“We just wait and see,” he said, adding that UPP now had 26 branches across the state with more than 30,000 members.
Wong also believed Johari could bring Sarawak to greater heights of development.
