The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) has spurned the urging by Sarawak Chief Minister and state BN chairperson Adenan Satem to talk to the United People’s Party (UPP) in order to thrash out problems between them.

“How to talk to them when they want our seats?” asked SUPP president Peter Chin ( left ).

“There is nothing to talk about the seats. We want all the 19 seats allocated to us. So, how to talk?” Chin was reported to have told SUPP members in Sibu.

Chin, who was responding to Adenan’s proposal, said that he appreciated the CM’s goodwill as he wanted to see that all ends well in the state.

Recently, Adenan had asked SUPP leaders to talk to their former comrades in UPP in order to thrash out the problems between them.

The two parties should work out some sort of an agreement and to look into the bigger struggle of Barisan Nasional, Adenan said, pointing out that “we are facing a formidable political enemy and you can regain the constituencies that SUPP had lost, if you stop bickering”.

“But if you continue to bicker, the chances of winning will be slim,” Adenan had said.

UPP, which is a breakaway from SUPP following years of leadership crisis in the party, was formed on July 14, 2014 by former SUPP deputy secretary-general Wong Soon Koh.

Wong and Chin had been ‘locked horns’ over the control of SUPP for the past four years. As the crisis was getting from bad to worse, Wong and his three other elected representatives were forced out and formed their own party, UPP.

‘UPP ready to battle SUPP’

Meanwhile, UPP is ready is ready to battle SUPP in the coming state election as it is setting up branches in 19 constituencies which are allocated to SUPP.

The constituencies are Padungan, Pending, Batu Lintang, Kota Sentosa, Batu Kawah, Bengoh, Opar, Engkilili, Simanggang, Repok, Meradong, Bawang Assan, Pelawan, Dudong, Bukit Assek, Piasau, Senadin and Pujut. Branches are also being formed in other constituencies where the Chinese voters are substantial.

It has so far formed 23 branches which are now awaiting approval from the Registrar of Societies.

In his key address at the first UPP meeting  held on Saturday, the chairperson of the UPP pioneering committee Wong Soon Koh ( right ) outlined 13 objectives of the party, which among others include that the party shall work within the Barisan Nasional framework to maintain continued  peace and stability.

“UPP would be committed to a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-religious  society and  a Malaysian identity and ideology  that do not distinguish people on the basis of race, culture or religion.

“And being predominantly Chinese-based, the party will speak out on behalf of  the legitimate concerns and interests of the Chinese community such as issues concerning Chinese primary schools, Chinese independent secondary schools, scholarships for the deserving students and employment and business opportunities; but we will not be racist or chauvinistic.

“The party wants no special privileges or favours, but will seek legitimate fair play and treatment.

“Likewise, the party will also speak for the bumiputera people in the state as a whole,” said Wong, who is Local Government and Community Development Minister.

He said that the party believes that the national, cultural and religious polices should be defined in the light of the constitutional rights of all Malaysians to non- discrimination on the grounds of race, religion and descent and the right of every citizen to profess and practice his or her own religion.

UPP, he said, will establish various committees and actions groups to identify issues and problems faced by the people, be it economics, trade and commerce, education, entrepreneurship, employment opportunities, agriculture, rural development, land development, youth, culture and sports, housing, women affairs, welfare and others.

“It is our responsibility in UPP to provide leadership for solving problems. Those which can be solved must be solved in the shortest time possible. Those which cannot be solved immediately must be deliberated and explained to the people, hoping that in time to come, some solutions can be secured,” he said.

Wong admitted that there are some major challenges his new party will face, and the role that it should play in harnessing these challenges into opportunities.