Joseph Tawie The ‘power play’ between Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is drowning Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP).
Chief Minister Taib Mahmud is making it known that he dislikes Sarawak United Peoples Party (SUPP) new president Peter Chin.
In the latest incident, Taib snubbed Chin, not once but twice and in full view of hundreds of guests attending a Chinese New gathering jointly hosted by the Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and its president Wee Kok Tiong last week.
Taib was the guest of honour and Chin was invited in his capacity as SUPP president and federal minister. Chin, who is Miri MP, is the Minister of Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water.
According to a guest who attended the function, when Taib entered the hall he shook hands with a row of guests who had stood up to welcome him.
But when he reached Chin, he paused. It was Chin who offered his hand and after a discernible pause Taib gave his hand but it was “not a friendly handshake as he did not look at Chin”.
No words were exchanged between the two leaders.
To add salt to the wound, Taib also refused to acknowledge Chin’s presence when he addressed the gathering.
Even when he was seated it was obvious to those present that Taib was determined to ignore Chin although the latter was seen making conciliatory efforts. Taib, who was seated in the centre between Chin and Wee, focused his attention on the ACCI president.
The last time Taib snubbed Chin was when he failed to attend the Chinese New Year open house jointly hosted by Chin and the party.
It was the first time Taib had failed to attend the party’s CNY open house held on Jan 23 in Kuching.
Najib’s ‘eyes and ears’
Although Taib gave “age” as his reason for not attending, his Chinese New Year visits to other influential community leaders and rich businessmen in Kuching, Miri and Sibu invalidated this excuse.
Taib’s anger with Chin can be traced back to the later’s sudden decision to contest SUPP’s presidency.
Chin had previously never shown any interest in the post and had in fact expressed his desire to step down and pave the way for the younger leaders.
Chin’s entry surprised everyone including Taib who had wanted former SUPP deputy secreatry general Wong Soon Koh to take over from George Chan who stepped down as president.
Initially, Wong was poised to be the next president, but Chin’s announcement of his candidacy stifled plans that Taib had for SUPP.
Chin was eventually elected unopposed after Wong and six other elected representatives boycotted the triennial delegates conference (TDC) citing irregularities in SUPP branch elections and TDC.
The six elected representatives are Tiong Thai King, MP for Lanang and five other assemblymen – Lee Kim Shin (Senadin), Ranum Mina (Opar), Jerip Susil (Bengoh), Francis Harden (Simanggang) and Johnichal Rayong (Engkilili).
Chin’s late entry has been attribute to the ‘wisdom’ of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
Sources here said Najib wants Chin to be his “eyes and ears” and and to keep tabs on what Taib is doing in the state.
All this while, the Chinese have been unhappy with Taib.
They’ve alleged unfair treatment over business opportunities and government contracts and in education, scholarships. They have also accused the government of land-grabs, rampant corruption and abuse of power.
No indications from Taib
They claimed only Taib’s cronies and family members benefit.
SUPP, under Chan who was a former Deputy Chief Minister and related by marriage (Chan’s daughter married Taib’s son) to Taib, was too ‘close’ to the CM.
Chan’s ‘closeness” to Taib was capitalised on by Sarawak DAP when it flogged its election slogan:“You vote SUPP, you vote Taib”.
The ‘closeness’ resulted in SUPP losing 13 out of 19 seats to the opposition in last year state election. Chan himself lost his Piasau seat to a DAP greenhorn.
Political observers here said Najib is worried that his hold on Putrajaya may be affected if SUPP loses its seven parliamentary seats.
In the last parliamentary elections in 2008, SUPP lost one seat in Bandar Kuching. In a by-election in 2010, it lost its Sibu seat. Both seats are now held by DAP.
The five other seats – Stampin, Sarikei, Miri, Lanang and Serian – are mixed constituencies.
Najib had hoped that Taib would step down before the general election so that raging allegations against Taib won’t be flogged by the opposition as they did in the state and by-elections.
Taib had promised Najib that he would go soon after the state election, but until now there is no sign that Taib is aiming to step down.
It is as such obvious that when Najib opened the SUPP’s triennial delegates conference, it was to endorse his man Chin. Taib’s refusal to attend was also a sign that he was unhappy.
Meanwhile Taib has gone on to reaffirm his support of Wong.
Wong asserts ‘closeness’
In the latest round of appointments, he accepted Wong’s nomination of Suzanne Lee as SUPP’s fifth political secretary in the state administration. Until Chin’s team was elected, Lee was the party’s Wanita chief.
Said Wong: “I have recommended her because she is SUPP Wanita chief. She is the most suitable candidate.”
Lee’s appointment is Wong’s way of showing his objection to the legitimacy of Chin’s leadership and his ‘closeness‘ to Taib.
With the appointment of Lee, Wong has reminded the Chinese community that he is their leader and has Taib’s trust.
He has made it known that he is able to negotiate with the federal government for the allocation of RM100 million to the Chinese schools and education.
Chin, meanwhile is least worried or so say his aides. He’s dismissed Taib’s lack of respect for him.
Taib support BN club
According to his aides, Chin is more worried that his party is facing an uphill task in defending the five parliamentary seats and in recapturing the Bandar Kuching and Sibu seats which the party lost to DAP.
The task is made more difficult by the internal problems in the party and Taib’s divide and rule policy towards SUPP.
Chin believes only Najib can help save the 52-year-old party which is facing the possibility of deregistration.
Assuming that Registrar of Societies (ROS) says that Chin was legally and properly elected, it will be difficult for Wong and his team to return to the party after so much water under the bridge.
In such a scenario, they may be forced to quit the party and as one observer puts it: “The BN Supporters Club is there waiting for them.
“I believe this is what Taib wants,” said the observer, pointing out that the BN club was formed by the five expelled Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party leaders.
Taib has openly expressed support for the formation of the club.
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