Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Sibu branch head Wong Soon Koh has dismissed as “remote” the possibility of merging the party with MCA and Gerakan because the three parties have “different fundamental objectives”.

NONE“We are different. MCA is a Chinese party while SUPP is a multi-racial party,” Wong (right) told reporters in Kuching yesterday.

“Moreover, east and west Malaysia are very different and that makes the possibility of a merger very difficult.”

On Sunday, Gerakan president Mah Siew Kong had said he is in favour of the merger in order to strengthen BN, so that it will regain the people’s confidence in the coalition.

“Gerakan will discuss the proposal for the party to merge with MCA and SUPP after the two parties are done with their respective elections and annual general meeting,” Mah reportedly said.

The idea resurfaced in July this year when Chang Ko Youn, then acting Gerakan president, said that he, MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek and SUPP president Peter Chin had discussed this proposal several times.

Confirming this, Chin had said it was done informally and that he personally does not think a merger is possible.

“We are a multi-racial with many Dayaks as members, while MCA and Gerakan are pure Chinese parties,” he reportedly said.

The idea of merger was first mooted in the 1980s, but the three parties have never reached agreement due to major differences in their objectives.

The writer, who uses a pseudonym, is based in Sarawak.