Serian MP not crossing over, says SUPP :- The Star Press
KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Serian MP Datuk Richard Riot Jaem will not quit the party and defect to the opposition.
SUPP’s president Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam said Riot promised him this over a telephone conversation from Kuala Lumpur yesterday morning (Friday).
“He (Riot) has dismissed the rumours. He told me he is still with SUPP and has no intention of joining any other party.
“He is a man of principles and will not be bought,” added Dr Chan.
Dr Chan said Riot was a bit upset because he was not appointed to the federal administration, and that the veteran Bidayuh MP was in Kuala Lumpur “to cool things down.”
Dr Chan had recommended Riot, also SUPP Serian branch chairman, to be appointed a parliamentary secretary but the Prime Minister has abolished all such posts.
SUPP’s state Assistant Minister for Land Development Francis Harden and publicity chief Datuk Alfred Yap Chin Loi appealed to party members and supporters in Serian at a meeting to remain calm and continue to stand behind the party and Barisan Nasional.
This was the second such meeting in three days the party leadership had with Riot’s supporters.
Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) has also quashed rumours that its Mas Gading MP Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe might defect to the opposition.
Party deputy president Datuk Peter Nyarok said it was untrue that Dr Tiki would leave the Barisan.
“I am very close to him. He is very grateful to the Barisan for making him what he is today, and he will not betray the Barisan,” he added.
Dr Tiki, the former Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister, was dropped from the new federal Cabinet although he retained the Mas Gading seat in the recent polls.
His Bidayuh supporters were said to be unhappy over his exclusion, as the Bidayuhs had lost their representation in the federal government.
Dr Chan, also Deputy Chief Minister, said he was informed that Dr Tiki had met with the Prime Minister’s aide yesterday to pledge support for Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s leadership.
Nyarok, also state Assistant Minister for Agriculture, is confident that all the Sarawak Barisan MPs, who had signed a letter recently to pledge support for the Prime Minister, would remain loyal to the coalition.
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“Please ensure that whatever we do will not weaken the party. If it can strengthen the party, then we should not prevent it,” he said when commenting on Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah’s offer to contest the Umno presidency at the up coming general assembly.
As long as I know, MPs are selected by the rakyat and not by the party. On the nomination day, the party will give the name of the candidate and the next issue is either the voter vote him or not it is up to the voters. Therefore, the rakyat appointed the candidate to be the representative by the name of this and that party.
I get to understand now why Bidayuh is still under marginalization. The leaders are serving the party of UMNO and BN and there is no time to serve the rakyat (bidayuh). There is no way for Bidayuh leaders to strengthen the SUPP or SPDP or PBB if they are sidelined by the party leaders and committee. Though Tiki and Riot has retained their seat, their respective party has no intention to put them in the federal ministry and this is such a disappointment not only to them but to the Bidayuh voters and supporters. The Star press should not say that Bidayuh are upset but fed-up.
The Barisan Nasional now has to catch more crazy frog in the country. Tengku Adnan will be the pest control and chase all the frogs to the Barisan detention center. The time has come for more chasing work by the UMNO and Barisan.
We will wait and see if Riot and Tiki have spread ONLY rumors to Barisan Nasional regarding on their resignation. But the crazy frog are riding back to the habitat where they belong.
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