The Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) has to face the reality in politics for the sake of the Chinese community, said United People's Party (UPP) central chairperson, Wong Soon Koh.

"They (SUPP) have to face the reality that UPP is a party and is a force to be reckoned with, particularly among the Chinese community. Therefore, SUPP has to accept this reality and sit down with us to work out a reconciliation plan," said Wong.

According to Wong, who is Sarawak Second Finance Minister, both UPP and SUPP might be strong in certain constituencies but stressed that what was important was for both to reconcile for the sake of the Chinese community and ensure maximum Barisan National (BN) victory in the next state and parliamentary elections.

"The offer to reconcile is still there. We have offered our olive branch and now it is up to SUPP as the ball is in their court.

"If they want to resolve the issue for the sake of the Chinese community, we are sincere and the offer is still there because we want overall Chinese unity," Wong said after handing out Minor Rural Project (MRP) grants to 16 non-governmental organisations at his office in Kuching today.

On March 17, a SUPP-UPP luncheon was held for the party leaders to meet and reconcile but later a Chinese newspaper in its report quoted SUPP chairperson Senator Prof Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian as saying that UPP was not sincere in its offer.

Wong said he had met Sim during the Sarawak Yang Di-pertua Negeri's Hari Raya open house at the Astana but claimed that Sim denied the newspaper report.

"I and the other 15 UPP leaders asked Sim why did he say we were not sincere, but Sim denied and claimed that the newspaper had misquoted him.

"Therefore, Sim should clarify his statement because we don't know who is wrong, whether Sim or the newspaper reporter," Wong added.

- Bernama