By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Aug 5: In order to win Opar, all Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) component parties must work in concert in the coming State election, said Cr Niponi Undek, whose name has been shortlisted by Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) to win the seat.
He added that he has just met his party president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian who has given his blessings for him to go to the ground to promote GPS to the people.
“With his blessings, now I can go to the ground to promote GPS among the voters in Opar constituency,” Niponi told DayakDaily here today.
He reiterated that in order for GPS to win Opar, he needed the support of all GPS component parties in the Bidayuh majority seat.
“Prior to meeting my president today, I have visited over 20 out of 58 villages in Opar,” he said.
Naponi, 58, who was a former director of Public Health College, Kota Sentosa, Kuching, prior to his early retirement is from Kampung Tebaro, Jalan Lundu-Sematan.
Besides Niponi, incumbent Simanggang Assemblyman Datuk Francis Harden has also been endorsed to defend his seat by SUPP Bumiputera Bureau.
SUPP Bumiputera Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem had told a news conference recently that both Niponi and Francis’ names have been forwarded to SUPP’s powerful Central Working Committee (CWC) for endorsement.
Besides the two names, SUPP Bumiputera Bureau also revealed that it has also identified three potential candidates for Mambong and Engkilili respectively.
For Mambong, SUPP Bumiputera Bureau has recommended three names; Andrew Victor Nub, Cr Jameson Jium and Cr Ahkim Sarok while for Engkilili, they are Desmond Sateng Sanjan, Cr Semijie Janting and Kua Jack Seng.
“We have four Bumiputera branches in SUPP, namely Opar, Mambong, Simanggang and Engkilili. Four Bumiputra seats (which are) traditionally ours,” Riot told reporters at SUPP Service Centre in Serian recently.
Opar is currently held by Datuk Ranum Mina of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB). He won the seat as a BN direct candidate in the last State election held in 2016 with a majority of 2,082 votes in a four-cornered fight.-DayakDaily
