By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 3: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng placed his trust in the wisdom of the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) leadership on the question of candidacy in the next State election, pledging that he and party members would stand united and give their full support once a decision is made.
In a statement after speaking to reporters during a Chap Goh Meh programme at Kota Sentosa today, Wee said unity and service to the people must always come before personal interest.
“You see, we are all party members who belong to a party we love and to which we have pledged our loyalty, SUPP. It is natural that many of us share the same desire to serve under its banner,” he said when asked if he would be a potential candidate in the coming Sarawak election.
Wee emphasised that every party member and politician should aspire to do more for the people, describing the willingness to step forward and serve as something that should be respected and encouraged.
“I see the passion among our colleagues and, honestly, I am happy to witness it. I would be more concerned if our leaders and members no longer had the spirit to contest and contribute. A party without enthusiasm to serve would be far more worrying,” he said.
He noted that the leadership of SUPP and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) is fortunate to have many capable and passionate leaders willing to take up responsibility, giving the party strength and allowing careful consideration of all factors before deciding on candidacy.
“We are partisan politicians, but our focus has always been service through real work and engagement with the people. Healthy aspirations within the party reflect commitment, and ultimately what matters is delivering results for the community,” he added.
While Wee has not formally declared his intention to contest, a local daily recently reported that he had expressed interest in the next State election.
Responding to queries on his potential candidacy, he said he remains focused on his responsibilities as mayor. However, he acknowledged that his experience and track record in public service and community engagement could be strengths should he decide to move into electoral politics in the future.
“As for who will be chosen as the candidate, we must place our trust in the wisdom of our party leadership. Once a decision is made, all of us will stand united and give our full support, because unity and service to the people must always come before personal interest,” he reiterated.
In the last 12th Sarawak Election in 2021, Wee contested under the GPS banner for the Padungan seat against Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen. The four-cornered contest also included Raymond Thong from Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) and Lina Soo from Parti Aspirasi Rakyat Sarawak (Aspirasi).
Wee’s bid for the Padungan seat was unsuccessful, losing to Chong by a majority of 1,198 votes. In that election, Chong secured 4,686 votes, while Wee obtained 3,485 votes. The other two candidates, Thong and Soo, received 930 and 193 votes, respectively. — DayakDaily
