OVERWHELMING SUPPORT: Chin (centre) shakes hands with his supporters after a closed-door meeting which saw the support of 32 out of 42 SUPP branches.
Miri MP claims 32 out of 42 branches behind him in race for party presidency
KUCHING: The coming SUPP triennial delegates’ conference (TDC) will likely see a straight fight between deputy secretary-general Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and organising secretary Datuk Seri Peter Chin for the presidency.
Chin, who is Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, yesterday confirmed that he will be contesting for the top post as he has the support of 32 of the party’s 42 branches.
Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister and Minister of Local Government and Community Development, announced his candidacy on Oct 9 in Sibu where he, among others, said he had the support of many branches in northern, southern and central Sarawak.
Speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting with 310 SUPP branch leaders, Chin said his decision to contest during
the TDC, which will be held from Dec 9-11, was prompted by the large show of support for him.
“I have been persuaded by all these comrades that I have worked with for so many years, especially in my role as organising secretary.
“They felt that it is appropriate for me to accept this challenge rather than to shy away from this responsibility. Hence, I accept this responsibility to lead this party,” said Chin, who is Miri Member of Parliament.
The 10 branches which did not send any representatives to the meeting yesterday were Bengoh, Telang Usan, Sibu, Senadin, Opar, Mukah, Kapit, Kanowit, Belaga and Baram.
He said he now felt it was not right for him to wash his hands off and retire when expectations were running high within the party for him to succeed Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan.
Dr Chan, who is a former deputy chief minister, would not be seeking re-election.
He made known his intention after he lost in his stronghold of Piasau to a DAP political novice in the April 16 state election.
Chin told the packed press conference at the party headquarters here that he had already spoken to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak regarding his decision to contest for the party president’s post.
Asked whether he has the support of Dr Chan, Chin replied that he had spoken to him before the meeting yesterday, but won’t divulge the details.
“Well, I think I better not disclose it. I think it is for you to ask him (Dr Chan).
“I would also not like to disclose any conversation I had with Datuk Lee Kim Shin (Senadin assemblyman who has teamed up with Wong to contest as secretary-general),” he said.
Asked about speculations that he would team up with party treasurer Datuk David Teng, Chin said he had not formed a team yet.
“What is the point of forming a team when at the end of the day it is the duty of the delegates at the TDC to decide who leads the party,” he said.
Teng, who was also present at the press conference, commented that he was not interested in the presidency but would leave his fate to the delegates to decide.
Meanwhile, in a press statement issued to reporters covering the meeting yesterday, Chin’s camp said they would like to put their hearts together to take the party forward from the setbacks suffered in the 2006 and 2011 state elections.
The statement included three of the party’s focus and they are:
The party must always come first. Every party member and its leaders, at all levels, must abide by and implement the policies of the party central.
We must strengthen our party discipline. The members of the disciplinary committee should comprise party elders who are not members of the central committee.
We must groom a team of second echelon leaders to take over this `Transformation Team’ who will retire in two or three years’ time.
They added that certain provisions of the party’s constitution should be amended to, among others, include the setting up of a Council of Elders.
“We must go all out to recruit more Bumiputera members to make SUPP a truly multi-racial party in Sarawak,” they stated.
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