KUCHING: Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh wants the Chinese community to reconsider their political choices by looking at their representation in the state cabinet.
With him and Assistant Minister for Communications Datuk Lee Kim Shin the only ethnic Chinese in the cabinet, he said the task to oversee the whole Chinese community in the state was very challenging.
“Probably we (Chinese community) have to do some hard thinking and soul searching to see whether we are doing the right thing,” said Wong when presenting Minor Rural Project grants to non-governmental organisations at his office yesterday.
According to him, political and racial polarisation opened up after the last state election, whereby many Bumiputeras could be seen rising up while the Chinese were left outside the state’s political mainstream.
“This is a very unhealthy political scenario for the Chinese community which is why we must reassess what is best for us especially in Sarawak which is made up of a multi-racial society,” reminded Wong, who is also the Second Minister of Finance.
On another note, he told reporters after the event that the reconciliation offer to SUPP was still on the table.
“We have offered our olive branch before and right now, the ball is in their court,” said Wong, who is also UPP president and Bawang Assan assemblyman.
He also said during a casual meet with SUPP president Datuk Senator Prof Sim Kui Hian at the Astana recently the latter denied a statement which was published in a national Chinese daily that the reconciliation offer by UPP was insincere.
“Me and around 15 of our UPP members asked him (Sim) during the event and he said that he was actually misquoted by a reporter,” said Wong, adding a suggestion to set things straight with the newspaper was deflected by Dr Sim.
He aknowledged that SUPP might be stronger in certain constituencies and UPP might also be stronger in some constituencies, making reconciliation a viable solution for the betterment of the whole Chinese community.
SUPP, he added, must be able to accept reality that UPP is a political party and a force to be reckoned with, especially in Chinese majority areas.
“Therefore, they (SUPP) must be able to come to these terms by sitting down with us (UPP) and work for a reconciliation. Let us be together for the sake of the community and at the same time ensure a maximum BN victory,” he added.
Meanwhile, he said a statement will be issued regarding the intention of SPDP to contest in Bawang Assan constituency in the coming state election, following a recent event by SPDP to canvass for support in the constituency.-Borneo Post
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