KUCHING: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) president Tan Sri Peter Chin (pic) has challenged former SUPP Sibu chief Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh to vacate his Bawang Assan seat.
Chin threw this challenge following Wong’s public announcement yesterday afternoon at a press conference at the State Legislative Assembly here that he had quit SUPP to join the new party Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).
“He (Wong) should resign from his seat as he has won it as SUPP candidate of Barisan Nasional.
“Now as he has joined another party which is not a BN component party, he should give up his seat,” Chin told The Borneo Post over a telephone interview.
Chin further challenged Wong to test his popularity with Bawang Assan voters.
Wong joined SUPP since 1981. He first contested in Igan constituency in 1987 and lost to David Tiong Chiong Chi of Permas by 23 votes.
In 1991, he stood for SUPP in Bawang Assan and won. This is his fifth term as Bawang Assan state assemblyman.
Responding to Chin’s statement, Wong said Chin did not have the right to ask him to resign as Bawang Assan assemblyman to pave way for a by-election.
He said Chin’s suggestion was a hasty decision that did not take the bigger picture into consideration.
“Whatever will happen next will be decided by the top leadership of BN. Chin does not have to waste his breath to continue to find fault with me. I have decided not to engage in further squabbles with him but put more effort in looking into the interests of the people,” said Wong in a statement.
On his own sacking by SUPP, Wong said Chin’s faction had already held a meeting to sack him some time ago.
“For SUPP to announce that I have been sacked now is meant to cover up what has already been carried out in that meeting. That has been one of the reasons why SUPP grassroots have been bearing grudge against Chin and his faction. We have been suppressed for so long and the grassroots believe that we should not give in anymore,” said the Local Government and Community Development Minister.
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