KUCHING: The residents in the Stampin parliamentary constituency wants Stakan Sarawak United People Party (SUPP) branch chief Datuk Sim Kiang Chiok to be fielded as the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate for Stampin in the upcoming general election.
This was the claim by the Stakan SUPP branch, in a swift rebuttal to party president and Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian who was irked at the branch’s lobbying for Kiang Chiok.
“Stakan branch is not one person and like party president said today, Datuk Sim Kiang Chiok did not personally lobby for it.
“It was us the members who wants it (Kiang Chiok to be nominated as candidate) and we live in Stampin area… as such we, the local people who want him as candidate” a spokesperson for the party branch said in a statement.
Earlier, Dr Sim was displeased with the party’s Stakan branch for publicly announcing its preferred candidate for the Stampin parliamentary seat.
Yesterday, the branch held a press conference to announce chairman Kiang Chiok as a potential choice for the constituency.
Asked if he supported the Stakan branch’s move, Dr Sim said it is not up to the branch to publicly recommend candidates.
“It is up to the (relevant) committee. Traditionally, all the branches will nominate their candidates but they don’t nominate publicly,” he said.
Meanwhile on Dr Sim’s view that election candidates must be those who are always on the ground, SUPP Stakan said it will begin its door-to-door approach to promote Kiang Chiok.
It also said the work will speak for itself and it is the duty of the branch to highlight what has been done.
“We know that there will be those who disapprove and that is part and parcel of politics and the president will choose the best candidate when the time comes.
“It is early days and we have to just move along and show our work, the rest is in the hands of the president and the GPS chairman,” it said.
