The Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) has hit back at Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing over what it described as an “emotionally charged” attack concerning the appointment of community leaders and longhouse chiefs in Sibu.
According to The Borneo Post, SUPP accused Tiong of showing disrespect towards the authority of the state Cabinet and undermining the unity of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), of which both parties are members.
In a statement, SUPP said that by launching public attacks, Tiong was not merely criticising another party leader but was also challenging the collective decisions and institutional authority of the Sarawak Cabinet committee.
SUPP maintained that the recent appointments of Chinese community leaders (KMKK) were carried out strictly in accordance with quotas set by the state Cabinet committee for each political party.
Yesterday, Tiong accused SUPP president Datuk Amar Dr Sim Hui Kian of being power-hungry and overstepping political boundaries by allegedly interfering in the appointment process for community leaders and longhouse chiefs in Sibu.
Tiong claimed that the original appointments had been finalised through consensus by a selection committee but were later scrapped or amended by Sim. He also said that the PDP assemblymen for Dudong and Bawang Assan — himself and PDP senior vice-president Datuk Wong Soon Koh — were not consulted on the revised appointments.
In response, SUPP said Dudong had been recognised as a SUPP constituency since 1987.
The party added that during the last state election, SUPP’s designated candidate was disqualified at the eleventh hour following what it described as baseless accusations.
“The last-minute accusation caught our party completely off guard. As a result, PDP represented GPS in the election, with Tiong ‘parachuting’ into the constituency to contest,” SUPP said.
SUPP further accused Tiong of carrying out a “systematic replacement” of SUPP-backed community leaders after being elected as the Dudong assemblyman, replacing them with PDP members.
The party also alleged a double standard, claiming that some community leaders were either induced or threatened into leaving SUPP for PDP in exchange for promises of KMKK appointments.
“Is this unethical practice by PDP precisely what Tiong has accused Dr Sim of doing — using community leadership appointments as a tool to monopolise political influence?” SUPP said.
Tensions between the two GPS component parties have reportedly intensified, particularly after three assemblymen from the now-dissolved Parti Sarawak Bersatu joined PDP, bringing with them three seats traditionally held by SUPP.
