KUCHING, March 20: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Youth central chairman Michael Tiang is happy with the decision made by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg not to field direct candidates in the upcoming general election (GE14).
He said the decision not to field such candidates upholds the spirit of Barisan Nasional (BN) and maintains the mutual respect between the component parties in the coalition.
Tiang said the CM’s decision concurs with SUPP’s resolution during its recent triennial delegates’ conference that there shall be no direct BN candidates.
“The decision by the chief minister has cleared the air. This will help to remove doubts or qualms within BN component parties. Now we can all confidently be focussed in preparing for GE14,” he told DayakDaily when contacted today.
“We, as Sarawak’s youth are committed to defending the interests of Sarawakians by building a stronger Sarawak and eventually a better nation,” he said, adding the golden time has come and it is “now” for Sarawakians who want to see the making of a greater Sarawak.
He noted, never in the past has the political landscape allowed the state to play such a crucial role to empower itself.
Sarawakians, he said, must come together hand-in-hand and work towards the realisation of the “Sarawak Agenda”.
“I urge all Sarawak BN members, together with those BN-friendly members, to put aside their prejudices, and lend “integrated support” to the chief minister in his effort to implement the ‘Sarawak Agenda’, for the well-being and prosperity of all Sarawakians.”
On Sunday, Abang Johari was reported by local media as saying there will be no fielding of direct BN candidates in GE14, adding, that the upcoming general election involved all states in Malaysia and not just Sarawak.
“This is a parliamentary election and all (contesting) candidates are from each component party, unlike the state election.
“In Peninsular Malaysia, they also don’t have any BN direct candidates,” he told reporters after officiating the Muara Sungai Kudei Bridge at Kampung Kudei.
On another note, Tiang also said he is grateful to Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Masing for urging that SUPP should be allowed to contest its seven traditional seats in GE14.
Masing on Sunday was reported as urging the BN leadership to allow SUPP to contest its seven traditional seats in the general election.
He had said SUPP’s breakaway United People’s Party (UPP) should not be allowed to field candidates in any of the seven seats in GE14.
“UPP, which is not a member of BN, has no right to contest using the coalition’s symbol and therefore, any UPP member who wishes to be a candidate in the coming GE14 should join SUPP in order to qualify to stand on a BN ticket,” he said. — DayakDaily
