SUPP can’t sack me as I’m not its member — Edward

Edward Luak

KUCHING: DAP Serian candidate Edward Luak is puzzled why SUPP expelled him yesterday when he stopped being a SUPP member many years ago.

Edward admitted that he did join SUPP as a Youth member in 1993 but he ceased being a party member when he stopped paying the annual membership fees not long after joining.

“Therefore, my membership in SUPP lapsed a long time ago.

“The fact is that I did not continue being a member because I had no faith in SUPP, and I do not get invited to conventions and meetings organised by SUPP.

“That’s the reality. I am no longer a (SUPP) member.”

He said this when asked to comment on a statement by SUPP secretary-general Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian that the party had expelled Edward with immediate effect because he had breached serious party discipline by standing against the BN candidate in Serian in the May 5 general election.

Dr Sim claimed that Edward had never resigned from SUPP even after joining the DAP.

Party president Datuk Seri Peter Chin was also quoted in Miri as saying that based on records, Edward was a SUPP Pujut member, having joined the party while working for an oil and gas company in Miri in the 1990s.

Edward said he did not have any other political affiliations since he ceased becoming a SUPP member, not until he joined DAP in 2011 of which he is the party’s Serian branch chairman.

“I was never even a member of PBB and SNAP.

“Many people had the wrong impression I was a SNAP member because I worked as a private secretary to an assistant minister from SNAP.”

Earlier yesterday, Dr Sim said the decision to expel Edward from SUPP was in accordance with the agreement within BN and SUPP that any member found to have sabotaged or breached severe party disciplinary offences would be expelled immediately.

“I don’t like to criticise anyone but if he were a person of good credibility he should know what to do (to resign before joining a new political party).

“Does he think that DAP can accept a member with multiple memberships in political parties? It really reflects a person.”

Edward is contesting in Serian against incumbent Datuk Richard Riot, who is also SUPP deputy president, and Johnny Aput from STAR.

Dr Sim assured that this sacking would not be the last and warned members that similar action would be taken if any of them were found to have sabotaged any candidate from other BN component parties.-theborneopost