Is another internal crisis looming in the Sibu branch of the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) over the selection of candidates for the coming state election?

This follows a full-page advertisement in a local Chinese newspaper dated March 21, which issued a 'warning' against those 'disturbing' the Dudong seat.

azlan The incumbent is Dr Soon Choon Teck who indicated his intention to defend the seat although party president Dr George Chan had said that he and Soon planned to retire.

Talk is rife that Lanang member of parliament Tiong Thai King is set to replace Soon.

Responding to the advertisement, Tiong regretted that certain people were resorting to such underhand tactics.

"It is aimed at tarnishing my political image and is very disheartening. It has an ulterior motive," he told reporters here today.

According to Tiong, he was still mulling over whether to contest in the Dudong constituency although he said George Chan and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud had told him of their wish for him to contest in the Dudong constituency.

"It is not my nature to claim the seat. It is up to the party's central leadership to decide on all the seats and the candidates, and not just for the Dudong seat alone. We will abide by any decision made," he said.

Local association backs Soon

Tiong, the SUPP Sibu branch secretary, is also chairman of the Sibu Municipal Council.

Recently, the Chiang Chuan Association here had thrown its support for Soon - the only member of the Hokkien community to have been elected representative in the state central region - to be retained to defend the seat.

The Dudong seat was also at the centre of a controversy in the Sibu branch when Soon had wanted to form the Dudong branch.

But he could not get the official sanction of the Sibu SUPP, which was dead against his idea which it said had not been done according to proper procedures.

- Bernama