by Samuel Aubrey, reporters
GETTING FEEDBACK: Dr Jerip (right) and Lo (second right) at the function yesterday.
KUCHING: Though they are from different camps in SUPP, Assistant Minister of Public Health Dr Jerip Susil is open to the idea of Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Lo Khere Chiang becoming the BN candidate in Stampin for the coming general election.
Dr Jerip spoke pleasantly of Lo during a function yesterday. He described Lo as someone who is always on the ground serving the people in MPP areas.
Many of the MPP areas are in Stampin constituency, which is likely to see a new BN candidate because its five-term MP Datuk Yong Khoon Seng had reiterated numerous times that he would not be defending the seat.
Since all the state seats in Kuching are held by the opposition, Dr Jerip said voters should give BN a chance in Stampin and Bandar Kuching.
“Please give BN a chance. I know that MPP chairman Lo Khere Chiang has been going around doing his groundwork to ensure BN government programmes reach the grassroots in MPP, especially those in Stampin.”
Dr Jerip, who is also SUPP Bengoh branch chief, mentioned this at the presentation of ‘touch-point’ cash aid to needy families at Faith Methodist church here. Also present were Lo, who is also SUPP Kota Sentosa secretary, and a political secretary to the chief minister, Phang Dah Nan.
SUPP president Datuk Seri Peter Chin has not revealed the party’s candidate for Stampin yet, but Lo is among the front runners. SUPP has thus far only announced it would retain the Serian and Sarikei incumbents, and has nominated SUPP Youth chief Tan Kai in Bandar Kuching.
SUPP, which would contest in seven seats, lost Bandar Kuching since 2004 to DAP. It lost Sibu to the DAP again during the May 2010 by-election.
The party is divided into two camps after Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh’s group boycotted the triennial delegates’ conference (TDC) in December last year, citing irregularities in branch elections.
Judging by what Dr Jerip said yesterday, it seemed that both camps have put their differences on the backburner to boost the party’s chances in the coming election.
Meanwhile, 22 recipients from needy families received RM500 cash assistance under the ‘touch-point’ aid allocated by the federal government. The recipients were identified by Breakthrough Network Centre and MPP.
In urging the recipients to support the BN in the coming election, he said: “The opposition would spread whatever propaganda to discredit the BN, but if the areas are under the opposition the people would be deprived of assistance from the BN government.”
It is understood that the ‘touch-point’ cash aid allocation was made possible through Soon Koh, also Minister of Local Government and Community Development, to be distributed specially to the urban poor.
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