KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — Sarawak United People’s Party’s (SUPP) Datuk Tiong Thai King declared today his support for the newly-formed Party Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras), following in the footsteps of his former branch chief Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh.

The Sibu SUPP secretary told a news conference in Sibu that he no longer had confidence in his party’s central leadership and planned to cross over to Teras.

“Yes, we’ll join Teras when the time is right,” Tiong was quoted as saying by Sarawak daily, The Borneo Post on its website.

He added that most of the 20,000 members in the SUPP branch supported the move.

Tiong had earlier held an-hour long emergency meeting with some 100 members from 16 units of the Sibu branch.

Tasik Biru assemblyman Datuk Peter Nansian, who earlier crossed over from SPDP to Teras, said Tiong and other supporters quitting SUPP are welcomed into Teras.

“Since their branch chairman Wong Soon Koh has quit SUPP to join Teras, naturally they are following the footsteps of their boss to join Teras and of course we welcome them,” the state assistant minister told The Malay Mail Online.

Wong, who is also Bawang Assan assemblyman, defected yesterday alongside nine other lawmakers from SUPP and the Sarawak Progressive Democratic President (SPDP).

With the departure of the 11, SPDP is left with only one elected representative, Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing while SUPP still has three lawmakers in its ranks.

They are: Senadin assemblyman Datuk Lee Kim Shin; Simanggang assemblyman Datuk Francis Harden and Serian MP Datuk Richard Riot.

The 11 said they left in protest of the squabbles plaguing their respective parties but insisted they were still loyal to the BN and have voiced their desire to formally enter the ruling coalition.

Teras has the second-highest number of lawmakers in the state after Sarawak BN’s anchor, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), which has 35 assemblymen in the 71-seat legislative assembly.

Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem, who is from Parti Pesaka Bumiputera has also thrown his support behind the fledgling party.

However, the move may not be welcomed by the BN’s other components in Sarawak.

The president of Sarawak’s oldest party Tan Sri Peter Chin has reportedly sacked Wong and demanded the state lawmaker give up his seat.

“SUPP demands that he vacate his state assemblymen post since he has quit SUPP and is no longer with the BN.

“Soon Koh must publicly announce that he is resigning as state assemblyman also to enable a fresh by-election to be carried out in Bawang Assan,” Chin was quoted as saying by The Star daily yesterday.