Will Sibu 2010 be ‘political death’ of SUPP?
An Australian-trained lawyer, Wong is seen by many as a fighter against the rich who allegedly abused the timber resources to enrich themselves and their families and cronies, while the poor were left to their own devices, receiving little support from the BN-SUPP government.
By Roselind Jarrow, Free Malaysia Today
SIBU: Two lawyers, Robert Lau Hui Yew and Richard Wong Ho Leng, who have been fighting each other in court since 1991, are now facing off in the Sibu by-election scheduled for May 16.
Lau, 44, of Sarawak United People’s Party and Wong, 51, chairman of Sarawak DAP, are both vying to capture the Sibu parliamentary seat which fell vacant following the death of the Sibu MP and deputy transport minister Robert Lau Hoi Chew on April 9.
Robert Lau Jr, as he popularly known here, is the late MP’s cousin. Both he and Wong have promised a “gentleman’s fight” and agreed there will be no character assassination and no personal attacks.
Lau’s campaign will be based on his five-year service as a Sibu councillor. He is asking Sibu voters to give him a chance to serve them. He hopes to bank on the good works that the late Lau had done for the people.
In terms of election experience, Lau is a greenhorn.
“Berjuang Demi Kecermelangan Sibu” (to fight for the excellence of Sibu) reads his posters written in Chinese, English and Iban.
Soon after he knew he would be a candidate, Lau began exposing himself as an “ordinary and simple” man. He began walking all over the market, talking and shaking hands with vegetable vendors and other traders. He does this almost every day.
Lau is the son of a prominent Sibu businessman, Lau Swee Nguong, the chairman of KTS group of companies, which are involved in timber and timber-related businesses, large oil palm plantations and printing and newspapers businesses.
Being rich can be a disadvantage to him as the majority of the people surrounding him in Sibu are poor.
