An open letter to Wong Soon Koh 

Sarawak Public Health and Environment Minister Wong Soon Koh, why are you afraid of a SUPP central committee (CC) meeting if you wish to convince the hearts and minds of the people and party members regarding your acceptance as state minister? Are you going to take the responsibility of your defeat of Dudong in the 2011 state election and resign as chairman of SUPP Sibu Branch?’

After I had read Wong’s open letter to the central committee members sent through the media and as a central committee member and the secretary of the Song branch, I have 10 questions for him:

The situation of SUPP today is miserable. There are some major incidents that were related closely to you and the Sibu branch.  

1. In 1987, Wong was a new candidate fighting the Igan constituency but he lost by a slight 23 votes. In view of the existing ‘recycling’ policy on candidates, Wong should not be selected as a candidate any more. However, Wong still represented the SUPP again in 1991. Am I right?

2. In 1997, Wong Soon Kai accidentally lost. After that, Wong skipped past several senior leaders and entered the cabinet without going through the proper system of our party.

3. In 2004, Wong and the Sibu Branch lost the chairmanship of the Sibu Rural Parliament that SUPP had led for 41 years. The image of SUPP was severely damaged amongst the Chinese community of Sarawak. May I ask if the Sibu branch needs to take any political responsibility for this?

4. During the election on May 10, 2006, SUPP lost eight seats and was seriously battered.  When all the SUPP members were planning for a comeback, you (Wong) organised a campaign against party president George Chan. You tried to overpower Chan and became the new president and this had sunk the party into the most severe crisis in the history of SUPP.   

At the eleventh hour, you felt that you were in an adverse situation and immediately surrendered to George Chan by showing your loyalty. However, the trust and unity among the SUPP leaders had been damaged by this party dispute.

5. In 2006, the central party and the Bintagor branch had selected Ting Check Sii as the Bintagor state candidate. Due to the senior BN factors, he was discarded and this had sparked a furore in the Chinese community and led to the failure to retain the Meradong state seat. Were you the one who recommended Wong Sing Nan in place of Ting? Is this a fact?

6. Some of the Sibu branch leaders are the main obstacles during the dispute over the formation of the Dudong Branch. SDC, the highest authority in the party, the CC, and central working committee (CWC) members had agreed to the establishment of the Dudong branch.  

However, the overbearing attitude of the Sibu branch to the move, and the illegal removal of the Dudong signboard had caused fury within the Chinese community and moreover, a special delegates conference (SDC) requisitioned by 28 branches was sabotaged. May I ask, who led and caused these incidents?

7. Before the 2011 Sarawak election, Sibu branch was against Soon Choon Teck defending his Dudong constituency. You strongly and publicly opposed the recommendation of the committee of eight and the CWC, and also displayed your disagreement through the media.

You did not respect our party’s decision. You insisted Tiong Tai Kiing to be the Dudong candidate but he lost by 317 votes. This is a big shock in the 2011 Sarawak election. May I ask, are you going to admit this error and resign from your Sibu branch chairman post?

8. After the 2011 Sarawak election, the party CWC decided that our Chinese reps will not join the state cabinet. We had made the decision in the morning and that very afternoon you on your own got sworn in the cabinet. We heard that you were in the party headquarters and you made excuses to absent yourself from the CWC meeting. I would like to ask why?

9. After the CWC meeting on May 27, 2011, you and George Chan announced that both of you will not contest in the upcoming 2011 party election and want to give a chance to the novices. Do you intend to keep your word?

10. During the CWC meeting on May 27, according to a CWC member from Sibu, (1) the CWC meeting had to be aborted because the 135 CWC members did not exercise their wisdom and, (2) CWC members felt they should lead the CC. The CWC members of Sibu branch even said that the proposed SDC was useless because the party delegates know nothing except rebuking the leaders. May I know if this statement is true?

Furthermore I was informed that you used your official status to summon all the rural and urban council members such as the penghulu and kapitan from all areas for a gathering. But actually you were just explaining why you accepted the cabinet post.

The attendees weren’t happy with you as you promised to adjust their treatment and lengthen their official period. Most of them saw the meeting as a threat. They felt you have abused your power to promote yourself.        

The writer is an SUPP branch secretary.