SEMATAN: The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) candidates for its 20 traditional seats will be announced at an appropriate time.
In stating this, SUPP president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said SUPP had submitted a shortlist of the candidates to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said SUPP had, on several occasions, met and discussed with the list of candidates with the chief minister.
“The Chief Minister and I will announce them later,” he said when met after officiating at the opening of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Opar Ops Room at Kampung Tebaro here on Sunday (Aug 30).
Asked why the candidates had not been finalised, Dr Sim explained that they needed to look at the current political situation and wait for the appropriate time before finalising them.
“For example, if the general election suddenly occurs at the same time as the state election, we may need to change candidates again and those shortlisted for the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) seats will be standing for Parliament and I will have to find other candidates for the DUN seats.
“That is if the snap general election is held simultaneously with the state election. (However) I do not know (for sure),” he said.
SUPP has 20 traditional seats, namely Opar, Padungan, Pending, Batu Lintang, Kota Sentosa, Batu Kitang, Batu Kawa, Mambong, Simanggang, Engkilili, Repok, Meradong, Bukit Assek, Dudong, Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Tanjung Batu, Piasau, Pujut and Senadin.
However, the party is said to be losing the Mambong seat because incumbent Datuk Dr Jerip Susil is now a member of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB).
