KUCHING, July 8: United People’s Party (UPP) president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh today confirmed that his party was looking into rebranding itself as a multiracial party, and not a Chinese-based party.
Speaking to reporters after attending the pre-State Legislative Assembly (DUN) meeting at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters in Bako here this afternoon, he said a taskforce had been set up to look into the matter within six months.
“We are looking into whether we want to change the (party) name, to rebrand it, to make it more multiracial, because we do not want people to think that UPP is a just a Chinese-based party.
“It is not confirmed yet, but we have appointed a taskforce to look into this. Deadline within six months,” said Wong.
Asked if UPP would still honour the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the party and Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP), he replied, “It is no more because no more Barisan Nasional (BN), so it automatically lapsed.”
It was reported in Sinchew Daily last night that after the party’s second Triennial Delegates Conference in Sibu, Wong had announced the intention to rebrand UPP.
His son, Datuk Andrew Wong, had also resigned from SUPP. He said Andrew’s letter was handed over directly to the then BN state chief Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and UPP, as of now, had no clue if Andrew was still an SUPP member.
Wong was quoted as saying that SUPP was a state BN component party. After state BN left the coalition, the MoU that SUPP and UPP signed before is considered null and void and Andrew did not have to abide by the MoU.
Andrew joined SUPP to stand as its candidate in the May 9 polls, but he lost to Democratic Action Party (DAP) candidate Oscar Ling. — DayakDaily
