Offended Chinese members in SUPP likely to hold back their support for Taib Mahmud in the parliamentary polls.
SUPP is currently deeply divided. On one side is federal minister Peter Chin’s camp. Chin was elected last month to lead a beleagured SUPP, in a contentious triennial delegates conference (TDC). On the other side is Wong.
Joseph Tawie, Free Malaysia Today
Taib Mahmud’s divide-and-rule politics with the Chinese community in Sarawak may well backfire on him in the coming parliamentary elections.
His noticeable absence from Sarawak United People’s Party’s (SUPP) Chinese New Year open house last Monday has angered members who believe that as the Chief Minister of the state, he should not take sides in SUPP’s internal strife.
Also absent were BN component party presidents William Mawan of Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) and James Masing from Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS).
Both are senior ministers in Taib’s state Cabinet along with SUPP’s former deputy secretary-general Wong Soon Koh.
Thousands of Chinese from Serian, Siburan, Bau and Kuching were disappointed at Taib’s absence. They viewed it as an insult to both SUPP president and the party.
Taib’s excuse for not attending the open house was his “age” but that didn’t stop him for visiting the homes of prominent Chinese leader in Miri and Sibu with Wong and leaders of his group.
Speaking to FMT, Sarawak PKR vice-chairman See Chee How said that it was obvious that Taib was playing a “game” of trying to divide the community.
“It was so obvious right from the first day; he was playing that game. Probably he was trying to show that he was not happy with the federal government.
“But this is not the time to do it. It is not good to use festive occasions such as the Chinese New Year, Gawai Dayak, Hari Raya and Christmas to divide the people.
“These are occasions where we should unite the people of various races,” said See, who is the Batu Lintang assemblyman.
Taib killing SUPP
See said that Taib’s stunt to further divide SUPP was actually a move to try kill off SUPP at the end of the day.
“But in the process, Taib may also lose support from the Chinese in areas controlled by PBB, SPDP and PRS, as leaders of these parties did not respect the Chinese during the Chinese New Year.
“They (the Chinese voters) will surely retaliate come the parliamentary election,” he added.
SUPP is currently deeply divided. On one side is federal minister Peter Chin’s camp. Chin was elected last month to lead a beleagured SUPP, in a contentious triennial delegates conference (TDC). On the other side is Wong.
Wong was groomed to succeeded former president George Chan who had stepped down following the party’s dismal performance in last April’s state election. SUPP lost 13 of the 19 seats it contested.
But at the 11th hour, Chin announced his interest in the presidency. It is said that Chin had the blessing of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to contest for the top post in SUPP.
A bitter dispute ensued with Wong and his team who lodged reports with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) over irregularities by Chin’s supporters in branch-level polls.
Wong and team then boycotted the TDC, forfeiting their right to contest in the party’s presidential polls. They are of the view that both the TDC and the elections were illegal.
So when Najib officiated at the TDC, Taib was nowhere to be seen.
