By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Oct 19: Deputy Premier of Sarawak and Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian revealed that SUPP has finalised its nominated candidates for the seven parliamentary seats it will contest in the 15th General Election (GE15) and leaves it to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to pick the candidates.
Dr Sim told reporters this today following the 2022 World Counselling Day seminar held at SUPP headquarters (HQ) here.
“Abang Johari would finalise the list as he is the only person under the Election Commission of Malaysia (EC) with the authority to issue the ‘surat watikah’ (appointment letter) to anyone contesting on a GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) ticket.
“The rest of us do not have that kind of authority to issue the ‘surat watikah’,” he said.
Dr Sim also pointed out that all seats to be contested by SUPP are considered “hot seats”.
“Every seat is a hot seat. If you go to Miri, it is a hot seat, and so is the rest,” he noted.
As a GPS component party, SUPP is traditionally allocated the parliamentary seats of Serian, Bandar Kuching, Stampin, Miri, Sarikei, Sibu, and Lanang to contest.
In addition, Dr Sim, who is also the Batu Kawah assemblyman, disclosed that Abang Johari will soon announce the names of the candidates, and that after tomorrow (Thursday), everyone will know when the nomination day will be.
“There are currently too many candidates, and we don’t know which ones will be chosen, and I’m always concerned that in a situation like this, the biggest enemy is internal,” he stressed.
Moreover, Dr Sim, who is also the Minister for Public Health, Housing, and Local Government, asserted that GE15 will be extraordinary as for the first time since Malaysia was formed 59 years ago, GPS has the opportunity to contest on its own, using its own logo, and with its own manifesto.
“We know that at least one party is emerging as dominant at this time. Nobody is dominant under Gabungan Parti Sarawak, as our Premier stated yesterday. We have been politically independent since 2018, when we left Barisan Nasional (BN).
“We are politically independent, and GPS has repeatedly emphasised that we have no alliances with anyone,” he highlighted.
Dr Sim also urged voters to give a bigger mandate to GPS in GE15.
“It is so important for Sarawak to win big so that we can form a stable government; otherwise, we may face the same situation after the election, with three Prime Ministers in five years.
“Even if there are three Prime Ministers in five years, another issue is that the US dollar is rising while our ringgit is falling.
“Malaysia cannot afford that anymore. All Malaysians will suffer, including Sarawakians,” he added. — DayakDaily
