SIBU, Dec 7 — Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s (GPS) candidate for Dudong, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing today appealed to Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) not to be emotional but to work together to win the seat for GPS.

At a press conference at the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) Dudong branch service centre today, he said that every member of GPS must be on a friendly basis and open their hearts to welcome and solve problems and issues together.

He said that being emotional and trying ‘to do something’ that is against the other party would not benefit anyone.

"We come and we work together. We try out best together for Dudong. We hope everybody will not be emotional — we come together and work together for the sake of the people.

"We are just a political party. A political party is just a platform. Most important is the people’s interest and people’s needs must be at the centre. That is the duty of a politician, and not for your own benefit.

"Not to create yourself as (someone) very powerful — sometimes, you try to project yourself as powerful but towards the end, you become a fool also,” he said.

Dudong has traditionally been allocated to SUPP and there was a high hope that Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) deputy chairman Wong Ching Yong would contest at the constituency.

On December 3, Chief Minister Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg announced that Tiong would contest at the constituency.

Tiong said that there is no such thing as a ‘traditional seat’.

"Really, I tell you (that) initially, not saying that we are eyeing (Dudong seat), (but) maybe we can try to serve the people here also,” he said, adding that PDP is a multiracial party in which 45 per cent of its members are non-Bumiputera.

He also thanked GPS for trust PDP to try contesting in a Bumiputera area.

Tiong added that Dudong is his hometown and that he was brought up there.

In addition, he said that if he won the Dudong seat, he would set up a Dudong team to ensure that the service on the ground is run smoothly before thinking of other plans.

For now, he said among the issues that need to be addressed are the upgrading of infrastructures, telecommunications and resolving flood issues. — Borneo Post