By Joseph Tawie
KUCHING: Sarawak DAP is curious to know why Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) has not expressed its stand on the leadership of Chief Minster Taib Mahmud. “All other parties in the state Barisan Nasional like Parti Rakyat Sarawak and Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party have expressed their full support to the leadership of the chief minister. They want Taib to lead them into the next state election.
“But so far nothing comes from SUPP,” said state DAP treasurer Violet Yong, who is state assemblywoman for Pending.
“Since SUPP represents the Chinese community, we want it to make its stand clear on whether it supports Taib to continue leading the Sarawak BN government in the coming state election or to ask him to step down,” she said.
Yong was commenting on various reactions of support for Taib after he expressed his intention to step down if he was no longer needed.
Said Yong: “If SUPP is a responsible BN party, then it should make its stand very clear. We want to know and the people deserve to know.”
“But do not hide behind the chief minister. Do not become a puppet,” she added.
On a statement by SUPP secretary-general Sim Kheng Hui that land and the education issues had been resolved, Yong said that it was clear that SUPP had lost touch with the people.
“The statement is clear evidence that the party is totally out of touch with the people, who have no reason to support SUPP any longer,” she said.
Yong added that the public wanted Section 47 of the Land Code to be revoked. They also wanted an annual budget for the Chinese schools and an open tender system.
But SUPP did not dare say anything on all these, she said, adding that it was sad to see that the party had stooped so low.
“It is not brave enough to tell the chief minister whether people favour BN policies,” she added.
Last Tuesday, Taib told reporters that he wanted to step down in 2006, but he was stopped.
“Now a lot of people say I am not needed. So, if I am not needed, then I go out,” he said in an obvious reference to SUPP leaders who wanted Taib to step down as they considered him no longer an asset, but a huge liability.
Taib’s remarks came in the wake of SUPP’s secret meeting in Kuala Lumpur early this month. The party had planned to meet Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
It was said that SUPP leaders wanted Najib to exert pressure on Taib to step down if BN leaders wants the party to win in the next election.
Taib has helmed the state government for nearly 30 years.
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