Abang Johari (front, fourth left), flanked by Lo (right) and Dr Sim, in a photo call in front of the Batu Kawah Tian Tze Ja Temple with temple committee members during his visit to Batu Kawah Riverbank Park. — Picture via Borneo Post
KUCHING, Nov 9 — The Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) has submitted a list of candidates for 20 seats that it traditionally contested to Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) chairman Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
In disclosing this, SUPP president Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian said the party’s seven incumbents would be defending their seats in the upcoming state election.
“What would normally happen is that there would be a discussion once the list has been submitted, but as we have mentioned, the seven incumbents would be defending their seats in the upcoming state election,” said Dr Sim in a press conference held after the launch of Batu Kawah Riverbank Park yesterday.
The seven incumbents are Dr Sim himself for Batu Kawah constituency, Lo Khere Chiang for Batu Kitang, Datuk Francis Harden Hollis for Simanggang, Dato Sri Huang Tiong Sii for Repok, Datuk Ding Kuong Hing for Meradong, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin for Senadin, and Dato Sebastian Ting for Piasau.
Previously, Ting who is SUPP secretary-general, had stated that the party would field new faces to wrest back the 13 ‘traditional seats’ from the opposition, namely Padungan which is held by the Democratic Action Party (DAP), Batu Lintang held by Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB), Pending (DAP), Kota Sentosa (DAP), Opar (PSB), Mambong (PSB), Engkilili (PSB), Bukit Assek (DAP), Dudong (PSB), Bawang Assan (PSB), Pelawan (DAP), Tanjong Batu (DAP), and Pujut (DAP). — Borneo Post