KUCHING, April 9 – Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui(pic)has maintained his decision not to defend the Miri parliamentary seat in the coming 13th General Election to give way to a new face. He said Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was aware of his intention and scrutinised the candidates which the party had submitted to contest the seat.
“I have clarified many times. It is my intention to relinquish (my post) as I have served six terms and the time is right for a new face to take over, one who is younger than me,” he said today.
He was speaking to reporters after officiating the handing-over ceremony of a capital aid allocation cheque worth more than RM15 million, for 184 Chinese-type government-aided schools in Sarawak at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) Chung Hua No: 6 here. Chin, who is also energy, green technology and water minister, said it was unlikely that he would still be named the candidate if it was contrary to his decision.
In the case of SUPP former vice-president Datuk Yong Khoon Seng who had announced his readiness to hold back his retirement plan, Chin said a survey conducted on ground support had shown he was still winnable. SUPP, being one of four BN component parties in Sarawak, contested in seven parliamentary constituencies in the 2008 General Election, winning six of them and losing the Kuching seat. The party further lost another seat, Sibu, to DAP in a by-election held in 2010.
BERNAMA
