KUCHING: UPP, the Barisan Nasional-friendly breakaway party of SUPP, is still lobbying heavily to have two of its proposed candidates contest in the state elections.
UPP secretary-general George Lo told a press conference on Thursday that Datuk Janet Lau and James Wong were the most winnable in Pelawan and Meradong respectively.
"The seats should not be sacrificed just to appease any party," Lo said, referring to SUPP, which is fighting hard to keep the seats that it has traditionally contested.
"We urge Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem to uphold his sole criteria of selecting candidates based on winnability. Lau and Wong are the most winnable for the two seats," Lo said.
SUPP and UPP have been in a deadlock for over two years.
UPP comprises mostly former SUPP members, and was formed in the aftermath of the leadership tussle in the run-up to SUPP's 2014 election.
UPP's Pelawan candidate is the widow of long-serving Sibu MP Datuk Robert Lau, who served the parliamentary seat between 1990 and 2010.
On Wednesday, Adenan confirmed that six SUPP seats would be given to UPP-linked incumbents in the elections. But the six have been asked to resign from the party in order to contest as Adenan's handpicked Barisan-direct candidates, which he also calls "Team Adenan".
Lau was considered a shoo-in for the Pelawan seat, but her name was not mentioned during the Chief Minister's announcement. Adenan also did not say when all candidacies could be finalised.
As it stands, only eight more seats and candidates have not been named. Aside from the two SUPP-UPP seats, the others are being sought by SPDP and its breakaway Teras.
On a related matter, it was confirmed that Liu Thian Leong, an aspiring UPP candidate, will have to resign from the party if he wishes to contest the Batu Kawa seat against SUPP president Senator Dr Sim Khui Hian.
Lo said UPP will not allow its members to go up against a Barisan candidate.
Batu Kawa is widely considered a hot seat, where Barisan lost to DAP by only 543 votes in 2011.
Liu told reporters on Thursday: "It depends on the people. If our friends feel I should come out (to contest), I may consider. But, of course, I'm short of money, short of funds."
Lo was quick to counter: "Definitely not (as an) UPP candidate. We have agreed with the CM. We will not field any candidate against Barisan. Liu cannot contest as a UPP representative. UPP will not help campaign for him."
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
