SUPP veteran calls Kuching branch leaders’ sacking ‘political assassination’, wants Dr Sim to resign

KUCHING (March 31): A long-serving Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) member has slammed the expulsion of two Kuching branch leaders, describing the move as “political assassination”.

Pung Teng Hong, aged 90, criticised the party’s central leadership over the sackings and called for SUPP president Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian to resign.

Last week, SUPP Kuching Youth chief Nicholas Wung confirmed that the party’s central committee had sacked branch chairman Datuk Lily Yong and branch secretary Voong Nam Jing.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Pung challenged the party’s top leadership to establish an independent appeals mechanism to ensure fairness.

He argued that since the disciplinary committee had already decided on their guilt, it would be impossible for it to reverse its own decision and clear the charges.

“This appeal would be completely meaningless, just sending them to their ‘deaths’!” he stated.

Pung proposed the party form an independent appeals panel comprising senior party veterans, including several former ministers and deputy ministers, to ensure credibility and public confidence.

He also questioned the basis of the expulsion, which reportedly stemmed from a July 3, 2025 statement issued by the Kuching branch regarding the Kenyalang Gold Card.

He called on the central leadership to revoke its decision and urged the party president to demonstrate accountability by stepping down and facing an investigation.

On March 26, Wung told a press conference that SUPP’s Central Working Committee (CWC) had issued a letter dated March 16 stating that Yong and Voong were sacked from the party as of March 9.

According to the notice, they have 30 days from the date of the letter to appeal to the CWC, with the deadline falling on April 15.