SIBU: Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) must not lose in the next state election which is due in May 2021.
SUPP central deputy president, Datuk Chieng Buong Toon, said this at the party’s 60th anniversary celebration yesterday.
More state rights would be further eroded if GPS, which has four component parties, lost in the election, he said.
Arguing that the election will have direct bearing on the interests of all Sarawakians, he said, “We cannot afford to lose our present government, otherwise the state will lose even more as Sarawak development has been neglected by the federal government for a long time.”
In the 2016 election the state Barisan Nasional won 71 of the 82 seats it contested.
On SUPP, Chieng said the party would struggle with all Sarawakians to protect the state rights and resources.
The party would also not allow others to decide on matters affecting the state’s future.
“In the 60 years since the founding of the party, we have had both glory and difficulties even until today. But we will never forget the commitment made by the party on the first day of its formation to the Sarawak people,” he said.
He also called for the abolition of the racial quota for matriculation programmes and admission into public universities because the system is denying non-Bumiputera high achievers equal access and opportunity to higher education.
“All Malaysians, regardless of race, religion and background ought to be treated fairly and equally. But sadly today, the racial quota system that has been implemented for decades is still in place,” he said.
