The Chinese in Sarawak should not spare any of their good and potential leaders from continuing to be in the government, Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud said.

He said the community should forward their best candidates in the next state election to ensure that they continued to enjoy strong representations in the government.

NONE "(Even) if they are not a member of any party, as long as they support the government, as long as they got something to contribute, bring them in, get them as the candidate," he said at the Miri Hunyang Hexiang Zhuang Qigong Association's 10th anniversary in Miri last night.

His remarks were apparently directed at his Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), a Chinese-dominated party.

SUPP president and the Deputy Chief Minister Dr George Chan, Barisan Nasional Backbenchers chairman and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) treasurer-general Tiong King Sing were among those at the function.

Former Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) member, Larry Sng, who remained partyless but still an assistant minister in the Chief Minister's Department, also attended the event.

Taib, who is state BN chairman and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president, said the failure of the Chinese to attain significant representations in the government could lead to adverse impacts.

He said they would have to do away with their past thoughts that they could survive on their own economically.

The present world called for inter-dependence in which one community would have to work with others to keep the economic activity moving for common benefits, he added.

Taib will need to call a state election by July next year and there is fear that SUPP, a member of the ruling BN coalition, would be wiped out, leaving few Chinese representatives in his government.

SUPP may accept partyless Sng

larry sng Meanwhile, Chan said that SUPP will consider admitting partyless Sng ( right ).

He said any decision on the matter depended on the support of the masses and could not be done by him or the party leadership alone.

"If I accept him, it does not mean that the people would accept. I want people who are accepted by the people on the ground," he said.

He made the remarks when asked on the possibility of Sng, who had been sacked in April 2008 from Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), another state BN component party, joining SUPP as the latter had remained partyless since then.

NONE When asked about Taib's remarks, Chan ( left ) said: "If they are not a member of the party, we would see whether they could subscribe to the aims or the purposes of the party. If they decide to join us, that will be the best."

However, he said that SUPP members who had been with the party for an exceptional period and had proven to have worked hard would be considered first as candidates for the election.

"But there are cases of people who joined for a few weeks or few months and represented the party in elections. In any area where the people want a certain person to represent them, the party will consider," he added.

- Bernama