Speculation rife See to join SUPP after he meets Premier together with SUPP top guns

KUCHING (Nov 19): Speculation is rife that independent Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How will soon sign up as a member of the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).

This followed See’s presence yesterday during a meeting with Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for SUPP’s legislators at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex.

Leading the group was SUPP president and Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.

Also present were SUPP deputy president Datuk Richard Riot Jaem, who is Serian MP, and secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting, who is Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts as well as Piasau assemblyman.

All SUPP lawmakers, except for Repok assemblyman and Sarikei MP Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii, who is Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, were present at the meeting including Senator Robert Lau Hui Yew.

See appeared to be the only non-SUPP member present.

A photograph of the SUPP group and See with the Premier was shared by Dr Sim and other SUPP elected representatives on Facebook.

Dr Sim’s page did not caption the photo, which was included among others of activities involving himself and selected groups on Day 6 of the DUN session.

However, the SUPP Kota Sentosa page, which also shared the group photograph described the event as the Premier’s meeting with SUPP lawmakers.

“The guidance given by Sarawak Premier YAB Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during his meeting with SUPP YBs on Sarawak’s roadmap towards progress and development was most inspiring,” said a post on the page.

The page also shared another photo of See during a discussion where Dr Sim is seen at the head of the table.

Looking on in the photo were Bukit Assek assemblyman Joseph Chieng Jin Ek, Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap, and Tanjong Batu assemblyman Johny Pang Leong Ming.

Despite indications of his possible new party affiliation, it remains to be seen if See will continue to be party-less until the next state election, which must be held by April 2027.

During the 2021 state election, See defeated SUPP candidate Sih Hua Tong to defend the Batu Lintang seat by a slim majority of 93 votes.

See was then a member of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) but quit the party in August 2022.

PSB was officially dissolved on March 19, 2024.

In the 2016 and 2011 state elections, See won the Batu Lintang seat for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) with a majority of 4,385 votes and 8,391 votes respectively.