Free Malaysia Today Thu, 27 May 2010
KUCHING: The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP), the oldest Chinese-led political party in the state, has come under blistering attack from the DAP for its lies.
DAP state assemblyman for Sentosa Chong Chieng Jen said SUPP should stop making excuses for its loss in Sibu and accept that it has lost touch with its voters.
“I am shocked. The SUPP is still clueless as to why it lost and Wong Soon Koh (SUPP Sibu chief) is making baseless and unbelievable accusations against the DAP, ” he said in a statement.
Chong was referring to comments by Wong, who is also State Finance Minister II, in his winding-up speech at the Sarawak State Assembly sitting on yesterday.
He said SUPP and Wong had no clue that Sibu citizens were fed up with 47 years of abuse and corruption by the Barisan Nasional state government.
“Wong claimed DAP was now extremely rich and could fly over campaigners to Sibu for the by-election.
“Let me enlighten him. Nearly all DAP campaigners, be they Members of Parliament, state assemblymen or ordinary members, took care of their own expenses without burdening the party.
“To save expenses, most of them stayed either with party members in Sibu or in low-budget hotels.
“Unlike BN leaders, we do not fly first class, nor stay at five-star hotels which are paid for by the federal or state government. Under the pretext of carrying out their government duties, these BN leaders are obviously campaigning for the SUPP candidate,” he said.
‘SUPP, BN overstayed welcome’
Chong also took Wong to task for accusing DAP of deploying “dirty tactics” to win the Sibu by-election on May 16.
“We were not the ones using dirty tactics. BN had full control over the 3Ms – money, media and machinery – and they used them blatantly. BN was handing out cash liberally to entice voters.
“Wong has the cheek to accuse DAP of dirty tactics..,” he said, adding that the opposition’s win was simply a statement that both SUPP and BN had overstayed their welcome and had failed to defend the Sarawak’s 18-point agreement to join Malaysia and a key clause which guaranteed freedom of religion.
He also blasted for saying that DAP had intimidated the voters.
“DAP does not have the ability or power to intimidate. We are the victims of both intimidation and injustice because it is BN which has full control over the Election Commission and the police force,” he said.
Chong warned that SUPP and BN’s continued denial of the real reasons for its loss in Sibu will only result in a greater setback, come the state election.
“SUPP in BN failed the people. BN’s oppressive policies, rampant corruption, nepotism and cronyism are the reasons they lost Sibu,” he said.