By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 8: What was meant to be a routine mobile service counter at the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Batu Lintang Branch headquarters here today turned into a show of support, with around 500 people gathering to back branch chairman Sih Hua Tong as the party’s candidate for Batu Lintang in the Sarawak Election 2026.
Sih said his team has been organising mobile service sessions regularly, particularly on Sundays, to accommodate residents who cannot seek assistance on weekdays because of work or other commitments.
He said the mobile service counter primarily assists residents with applications for various Sarawak government assistance programmes, including Sumbangan Keperluan Asas Sarawak (SKAS), the Senior Citizen Health Benefit (SCHB), and the Kenyalang Gold Card, as well as matters relating to education, social welfare and other community concerns.
Sih admitted that he was deeply touched by the overwhelming turnout, especially as many of those present were residents who had received assistance from him and his service team over the years.
“Today was supposed to be just another routine mobile service session, as we have always done. I never expected so many people to turn up specifically to show their support, care and encouragement.
“I truly did not expect such a large number of people to come and support me today. Seeing everyone making such a sincere effort to be here is deeply moving. All I can say is thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he said in a press release.
When asked about the supporters’ hopes for him to represent SUPP in the Batu Lintang constituency in the upcoming Sarawak election, Sih described their encouragement as a blessing and expressed his heartfelt appreciation.
Throughout the gathering, supporters approached Sih to shake hands, exchange greetings and offer words of encouragement.
Many repeatedly shouted, “Support Brother Tong! Jia You! Jia You! Jia You!”, demonstrating their enthusiastic backing for him.
In a particularly heartwarming gesture, one supporter even brought rambutan fruit as a token of appreciation for the assistance Sih had provided in the past, adding a personal and touching moment to the gathering.
Sih has been the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) candidate for Batu Lintang in the Sarawak elections in 2011, 2016, and 2021.
In the last Sarawak election, Sih narrowly lost to See Chee How, who retained it under the Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) banner with 4,420 votes. Sih garnered 4,327 votes, falling short by a slim majority of just 93 votes. — DayakDaily
