S'WAK POLLS SUPP today urged the Chinese to back its candidates so a Chinese representative can be part of the state administration if BN wins the Sarawak polls on May 7.

"What we want to pre-empt is the unhealthy and dangerous situation if the BN government just comprises the bumiputera, without the participation of the Chinese community through SUPP,” he said.

“The party is now under a new leadership so give us a chance to prove ourselves by supporting our candidates," SUPP president Dr Sim Kui Hian told reporters in Kuching today.

He said that Sarawak BN chief Adenan Satem also hopes for Chinese representation in the administration.

He said this after launching the party's 13-point manifesto, which includes protecting the nation's sovereignty, quality education, good governance and anti-corruption, expanding agricultural products and fostering a loving society.

He also thanked the Chinese community for supporting SUPP for 50 years, and urged the community to continue to support it.

He said SUPP has a long history of contributing to the education and socio-economic development of the Chinese ommunity in Sarawak.

SUPP is contesting 13 seats, down from the traditional 19.

It lost out in BN seat allocations, including to BN direct candidates. Some of the direct candidates were from UPP, an SUPP splinter party.

Sim is contesting Batu Kawah against DAP's Christina Chew and independent candidate Liu Thian Leong.

He lost by a narrow 543 votes to Chew, who had contested for the first time in the 2011 state polls.

Sim said it was too soon for DAP to claim it would win the Batu Kawah seat this time.

Compared to 2011, the SUPP campaign this time includes gimmicks like a party mascot, the distribution of SUPP branded ice cream and sweets and social media videos and competitions.