Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) deputy president Richard Riot Jaem today said there was no reason for him to leave the party in order to join Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras).

Even though four elected representatives left SUPP to join Teras last week, he said he could not see where he could fit into the new party if he had been approached to do so.

"Why do I need to leave my present position to join Teras when I don't know what is there (in Teras) for me," he told reporters.

Riot (left) , who is also Human Resources Minister, said being a federal cabinet member, he would stand by the guidance of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also BN chairperson.

"I stand to be guided by the (decision of the) prime minister. I am a minister and I just concentrate on my work as a minister. I have the whole nation to look after," he said.

    

Last Friday, SUPP former assistant secretary-general Wong Soon Koh ditched the party to join Teras, together with three other state assemblymen, namely Jerip Susil for Bengoh, Johnical Rayong (Engkilili) and Ranum Mina (Opar).

Wong's decision to leave SUPP came after a three-year leadership feud with its president, Peter Chin Fah Kui.

Apart from the three assemblymen from SUPP, six Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) elected representatives, including its president William Mawan Ikom, and an opposition assemblyman, George Lagong, also left his party to join Teras, which is now applying to join BN.

While respecting the decision of those who opted to leave and join Teras, Riot said their application to become a BN component party would have to get theapproval of the other component parties.

"It must be a unanimous decision. It must be by consensus. If one (component party) disagrees, that means it's a no (to admit Teras into BN)," he added.

- Bernama

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