SIBU: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Nangka Branch will recommend one of its members to be a candidate in the 15th general election (GE15) for the Sibu Parliamentary seat.
Its chairman Chua Beng Seng said SUPP Nangka Branch has the right to put forward its candidate for the Sibu area.
“We once received a letter from the SUPP Central Headquarters (HQ) to ask the Nangka Branch to recommend a candidate for the Sibu Parliamentary seat in GE14, which was in 2018.
“But after recommending the candidate we selected, we were accused of interfering with the selection of candidates by several other branches,” he said during the branch’s annual general meeting here on Friday (April 15).
In this regard, he said he was disappointed with the allegations when he was given the opportunity by SUPP HQ to do so.
Chua said there was no denying that SUPP Nangka Branch could play an important role in determining the outcome of the election.
Giving an example, he said, in the 12th state election, Dr Annuar Rapaee from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) had won the Nangka seat with a majority of over 10,000 votes while the candidate from SUPP for the Pelawan seat Michael Tiang Ming Tee won with just over 100 votes.
However, he explained, Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew of SUPP lost the Bawang Assan seat by about 900 votes.
“This is clear evidence that any candidate who wants to win the Nangka constituency must get support from Dr Annuar, as Nangka is closest to him.
“This is because the Nangka, Pelawan and Bawang Assan constituencies are under the Sibu parliamentary constituency,” he explained.
Chua, however, declined to reveal who the potential candidate is, but hinted that the person was a young professional who was always actively involved in the branch.
“We will work hard to ensure that our potential candidate will win in GE15 if he is nominated,” he added.
In this regard, Chua also called on SUPP Nangka Branch members to be ready to make preparations for GE15 which is expected to be held this year.
