KUCHING, May 18 — Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) has strongly objected to any application by Parti Tenaga Rakyat Sarawak (Teras) for admission as a component party of the Barisan Nasional (BN), or even as BN-Plus Formula.

SUPP president Tan Sri Peter Chin Fah Kui said the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) at its meeting today, had agreed after due deliberation that it should object to Teras’ application.

He was however, confident that Teras would never find its way into the BN fold because its application needed to have unanimous support from all BN component parties.

“Going by the constitution, the application must have unanimous consent from every BN leader and party...otherwise, you cannot get it and I am very confident it (acceptance) will not come about,” he told reporters after chairing the CWC meeting at the party headquarters here today.

Chin also claimed that many BN leaders felt that it was not wise to accept Teras into the BN fold.

The former federal minister said SUPP would seek support from the other component parties to object to Teras’ application.

Chin said at today’s CWC meeting, members also decided to expel Sibu branch SUPP chairman Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh from the party, with immediate effect, for announcing he was joining Teras at a press conference held at the New Council Negeri Building on May 15.

He said Wong’s conduct was considered prejudical to SUPP’s interest, adding that he (Wong) had never tendered his resignation letter to the party.

Chin said the party’s CWC also demanded that Wong resign immediately as Bawang Assan state assemblyman and state cabinet minister on the grounds he had betrayed SUPP.

He said the party would also write to its state assemblyman for Bengoh, Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Ranum Mina (Opar) and Johnical Rayong Ngipa (Engkilili), seeking clarification on whether they were joining Teras.

Also present at today’s meeting were SUPP deputy president Datuk Seri Richard Riot. However, two state assemblyman aligned to Chin, namely Datuk Lee Khim Shin (Senadin) and Datuk Francis Hardin (Simanggang) were absent. — Bernama