KUCHING: One of the Sarawak United People’s party (SUPP) potential candidates for Stampin, Wilfred Yap Yau Sin, felt that the pulse this time for SUPP is different. Yap who contested against DAP Chong Chieng Jen in the last State election in the Kota Sentosa constituency but lost. This time if Yap were to stand in Stampin parliamentary seat, he is likely to face DAP new face, Dr Kevin Yii.
Yap has recently challenged his old nemesis, Chong to face him in Stampin saying that he has no worries about Chong who is losing popularity in Stampin. “I do not take the public support for granted like Chong. This time I can really feel the pulse of the people on the ground.
Since 2012, I have been working on the ground. In the beginning, there are many who did not welcome me. This time, many people would come forward and shook my hands and giving me the encouragement to continue working hard,” he said.
Assuring the people that SUPP is different under president, Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Yap said SUPP delivers what were promised. He added that the people’s feeling was understandable. They were dissatisfied due to a lot of things promised by their YB (representative) in their area especially Kuching were unfulfilled. The people only saw the real transformation when the late Chief Minister Pehin Sri Haji Adenan Satem took over the helm of the state.
“With SUPP being a component party of the Barisan Nasional, we joined force to fight for autonomy and certain things were already in place, for example English being an official language for the government, recognition of Unified Examination Certificate graduates to join the state civil service and others.
The rest, we need to work out slowly due to the documentations involved,” he said. Yap also hit out at certain quarters who kept on harping that the people are not enjoying economic growth. He said the statement was really misleading as the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had pointed out that there were a lot of Malaysians having their holidays overseas.
“I agreed, if Malaysians can go overseas, how could anyone says the economy is bad. Instead, I think the economy is bad in Penang. Look at the high cost of land premiums in both opposition held states, Penang and Selangor. “The Penang government promised a lot of things but could not construct low cost houses. Toll charges were not abolished but instead had gone up despite the election promise in 2008 that toll would be abolished if they were to take over the government,” said Yap.
He pointed out that this is the vast difference between BN in Sarawak and Pakatan Keadilan Rakyat’s promises. Yap felt that the burden on Sarawak BN is heavy this coming election as he stated that they cannot rely much on West Malaysia, whether it is PH or not.
“The West Malaysians like to play racial politics. In Sarawak, we don’t do that. Every party is a multi-racial including PBB. There is a vast difference between Sarawak and Federal BN. In Sarawak, our former Chief Minister Pehin Sri Haji Adenan Satem bravely took the lead to go against RUU 355.
We in Sarawak are actually the third force,” Yap pointed out. Since taking over SUPP’s Public Complaints Bureau, Yap said it is a joy to help the people. He called it divine blessing to be able to help the people. In the past, he said despite doing so much, people were not appreciative or grateful. “Now whenever, I go to deal with a complaint or visit coffee shops to greet voters, I am always welcomed. There are many who encouraged me to work hard and they can see that SUPP is doing a lot to help the people,” he said.
Calling Sarawakians to make a wise decision when voting this coming general election, Yap said they have to see into the future before casting their votes. He urged the people to go back to history to see who have been helping the people and who did not.
Sarawakians must open their eyes wide to see the truth so that they could not be lured to vote in someone who just sit there and not lift a finger to help the people. “Only we in BN can help,” he said.
