KUCHING, May 2 — Unlike Pakatan Harapan (PH), Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) has the guts to say "no” to the coalition’s national leadership if it disagrees with certain policies, Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said today.

The Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) president stressed that state BN leaders will never bow to pressure from any other component party, contrary to the Opposition pact’s allegation that they would only follow the dictates of its "big brother” Umno.

Citing an example, he said the state BN had dared to say "no” to Umno when the BN component tried to take over PAS’ tabling of a Bill to amend the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965, also known as Act 355, in Parliament.

"The Bill, if passed by the Dewan Rakyat, will affect Sarawak's multi-religious society and we don't want that to happen,” Dr Sim told reporters at his Stampin parliamentary election operation rooms in Batu Kawah, near here.

He claimed that BN chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, both tried to appeal to Sarawak BN to not oppose the tabling of the Bill, but the state leadership remained firm.

Dr Sim, who is also the state BN candidate for the Stampin parliamentary seat, said the Bill was still at the first reading stage in the Dewan Rakyat due to the strong opposition from Sarawak BN MPs.

He added that the state BN also dared reject Umno’s expansion to Sarawak.

The hornbill state is the only state in the country where Umno has no presence.

Dr Sim said that it was DAP that was afraid of telling off PH chairman Dr Mahathir, who is contesting in the Kedah parliamentary seat of Langkawi in the hopes of making a comeback as prime minister.

"When Dr Mahathir asked DAP leaders to use PKR's ‘blue eye’ logo, instead of their ‘rocket’ symbol for the GE14, they just followed because they are afraid of him,” Dr Sim said.

Because of that, DAP candidates who are elected to MPs will then be addressed as PKR parliamentarians, he added.

At their political rallies, Sarawak DAP candidates for the general elections have accused the state BN of being Umno stooges even when it was against Sarawak’s interests.

The Opposition also accused the state BN leaders of blindly supporting the implementation of the goods and services tax, which they claim is responsible for the high costs of living that has affected every level of society.

DAP election billboards proclaiming "SUPP = Umno = GST” and "Electing Dr Sim is Electing Umno” have been erected in the parliamentary seats of Stampin and Bandar Kuching.

Dr Sim, who is Batu Kawah assemblyman and also the state local government and housing minister. faces Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen in the Stampin parliamentary seat the 14th general election.