KUCHING, Aug 1: SUPP Dudong branch secretariat has pointedly reminded Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Dudong branch chairman Teo Boon Chiew to heed the advice of Sarawak Chief Minister not to become a “termite” in GPS.
This advice came following Teo’s statement during a ‘ceramah’ (talk) at Durin, Sibu last night (July 31) where he was alleged to have openly said that PDP president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing should be the candidate for N52 Dudong in the coming state election.
“We would like to remind Teo that as GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) is gearing up for the impending state election, unity is the most important element.
“The Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) said that GPS needs consensus and unity. The Chief Minister (had) emphasised that he (would) reject termites in GPS,” the Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Dudong branch said in a statement today.
More importantly, SUPP Dudong branch also emphasised that the candidate for Dudong must be a member of the branch.
“On Aug 29, 2019, our branch committee resolved unanimously that our branch chairman Wong Ching Yong is the only candidate representing SUPP to contest in the coming state election.
“Our Party Central was duly informed of this unanimous resolution and fully supported our recommendations.”
On reasons why SUPP must contest in Dudong in the coming state election, the secretariat pointed out that from 1970 to 2016, the voters in Dudong had witnessed 11 state elections where candidates of SUPP or related to the party had won eight times.
Quoting Winston Churchill, the secretariat said: “History is written by victors. SUPP is undoubtedly a victor in the electoral history of Dudong. Therefore conceptually, the common view of the people of Sibu is that Dudong should be contested by a candidate from SUPP Dudong branch in the next state election.”
Going into the history, the secretariat shared that the name Dudong state constituency first appeared in the Sarawak election history in 1970 in which SUPP candidate, the late Kong Chun Shao, defeated the Sarawak Alliance candidate and became the first SUPP state legislative assemblyman in Dudong state constituency.
In 1970, though Dudong was a bumiputera majority constituency, SUPP enjoyed strong support from Iban and Chinese communities to win.
In the 1974 state election, Kong did not contest but was replaced by the Datuk Ting Ing Mieng who was defeated by Datuk Sandah Jarau of Sarawak National Party (SNAP).
In the 1979 state election, Sandah successfully defended Dudong state constituency. However, SNAP was deregistered in 2013 by the Registry of Societies (ROS).
In the 1983 state election, Wilfred Kirrow, an independent candidate who was supported by SUPP defeated SNAP’s Joseph Tang. Wilfred later joined BN (Barisan Nasional)-SUPP.
In the 1987 state election, Wilfred quit BN-SUPP and joined Kumpulan Maju led by the late Tun Abdul Rahman Ya’kub. He was defeated by Jawan Empaling of SUPP.
In 1990, there was a demarcation exercise of the state constituencies in Sarawak by the Election Commission (EC) and Dudong became a Chinese majority seat.
In 1991, Datuk Dr Soon Choon Teck represented SUPP to contest against the late Joseph Tang of DAP and won with a landslide majority of 6,033 votes.
In 1996, he won the Dudong constituency uncontested. He successfully defended the seat respectively in 2001 and 2006.
In 2011, Dr Soon was replaced by Datuk Tiong Thai King who was defeated by Yap Hoi Liong of DAP by a razor thin margin of 317 votes.
In 2016, Tiong successfully wrested the seat from Yap under the banner of BN direct candidate.—DayakDaily
