Adam Yii: clear and transparent break with UPP and TERAS.

suppadmin | August 10, 2015

Sarawak United Peoples’ Party Media Release

by Mr. Adam Yii, Publicity Secretary – Sarawak United Peoples’ Party

*Sarawak BN must “Walk the Talk” on Unity*

Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (BN) once again calls for unwavering commitment and genuine unity within the Sarawak Barisan National (BN).

Sarawak BN leaders should stand firmly with all its component parties and demonstrate its unity and ‘walk the talk’ by making a clear and transparent break with UPP and TERAS.

While it is commendable for some Sarawak BN leaders to say that we need to fight our external opponents, which is obvious, a clear political distinction must be made between Sarawak BN Component parties and Non BN parties. This action must be taken before calling for Sarawak BN component parties to fight the external opponents.

SUPP completely agrees with the statements made from time to time by various BN leaders that BN component parties need to maintain a high degree of cooperation and a united front against the opposition. This has always been BN’s election model and approach.

Since UPP and TERAS are not BN component parties, they have caused disturbances within Sarawak BN and confusion among general public. SUPP strongly disagrees with their negative and detrimental actions. Due to this, we further emphasise and hope that BN leaders can make a clean break with UPP and TERAS as soon as possible.

If the BN does not make this clean break with UPP and TERAS, the BN ideology that emphasises on resisting the external opponents will be ineffective and meaningless.

SUPP welcomes Sarawak BN Secretary-General, Datuk Stephen Rundi’s comments that he hopes BN component parties can identify who is friend and who is foe and that we must be wary of the opposition parties in the forthcoming elections.

Although the UPP and TERAS are not BN component parties, they are frequently making claims that their candidates will be standing for elections in SUPP and SPDP allocated seats. Surely, then these so called candidates are foes as they will be challenging BN candidates.

BN leaders should explain to the people of Sarawak that the UPP and Teras are not the BN component parties or pro BN, otherwise this will affect our party members’ cooperation and have an impact on the upcoming election results.

However, SUPP and SPDP are happy they have the support PRS Chairman, Tan Sri James Masing on issues regarding the UPP and TERAS.

BN cannot show any double standards or any ambiguous political stance on matters relating to both parties. We have to demonstrate clear principles and stance that while we do not refuse help from parties, NGOs or community associations that support the policies of BN, especially those helping BN to attract votes during elections, but it must be clearly understood that non BN parties have no rights or power to choose or recommend candidates representing the BN to contest in the elections.

Spokespersons from UPP and TERAS have always said that they will nominate their candidates to contest the BN allotted seats of SUPP and SPDP in the state assembly election to come. These actions have seriously disrupted the internal affairs of BN, therefore the BN leaders must resolve this problem immediately. Otherwise, it will damage the cooperation between BN component parties and it is contrary to the stance of “resisting the external opponents”, as it will affect the BN’s election results.

SUPP has always supported BN component parties during times of turmoil and likewise in an alliance this has to be reciprocated.