SUPP, UPP sign memorandum of mutual understanding

KUCHING: The Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) and United People's Party (UPP), two Chinese dominant parties from Sarawak, today signed a Memorandum of Mutual Understanding to set aside any differences and focus their attention towards unity in the Barisan Nasional (BN) spirit, especially in their efforts in developing the state.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg who witnessed the ceremony, congratulated both SUPP President Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, UPP President Datuk Seri Dr Wong Soon Koh and their respective teams for their willingness to sacrifice their interests for the sake of Sarawak and the country.
He said for the last few months, Chinese community leaders in Sarawak had expressed their desire for the two parties to explore means to unite as one entity in order to represent the interests of the Chinese and other communities, in order to develop the state.
"We must congratulate Dr Sim and his team and Soon Koh and his team, in agreeing to set aside whatever their differences, to produce that rhythm together with us, to put extra effort for us to move Sarawak ahead," he told reporters after witnessing the ceremony at Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu Sarawak (PBB) headquarters here this evening.
UPP which was formed by Wong Soon Koh who left SUPP in 2014 after internal bickering, could not be accepted as a BN component party as it needed consensus from all BN component parties, even though it is a 'BN-friendly party'.
The last General Election (GE-13) saw SUPP lose six of the seven parliamentary seats it contested, and the party took another blow a few months later when Wong Soon Koh quit the party and formed UPP.
Abang Johari, who is also the state BN Chairman and PBB president, said he informed the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak about the signing ceremony when he met him in Putrajaya this morning, and he further conveyed the Prime Minister's congratulatory message to both parties.
"I hope with the agreement, there will be less politicking, but more effort to jointly develop our state, it (unity) is also important in our negotiation with the federal government in getting back state rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 that have eroded," he said.
Asked about the possibility of candidates from UPP contesting in the coming election under BN, Abang Johari said the party has their candidates, but they will only contest under a BN component party.
He said the matter will be decided later, and cited that even the list of PBB candidates for the election has yet to be confirmed.
Abang Johari said the State BN Supreme Council meeting today discussed on matters regarding the preparation for the coming parliamentary election, including the manifesto, logistics, and the election machinery.
Meanwhile, met on the sidelines of the ceremony, Dr Sim said he was happy to see the UPP response to the call to unite the two "Chinese majority interest party" for the sake of a united and stronger Sarawak.
He said most of UPP's members were SUPP members who had contributed so much for the state and country, and it was time to work together in facing the general election, stronger. — Bernama