SUPP’s ‘randy’ Rayong in trouble?

By Ismail, Free Malaysia Today

KUCHING: Rumours of three wives, a series of broken promises and neglect could cost Sarawak United Peoples’ Party’s (SUPP) candidate Johnical Rayong his Engkilili seat in the coming Sarawak state polls.

Rayong, who won the Engkilili seat on a Sarawak National Party (SNAP) ticket in the 2006 election, is also facing a revolt among the SUPP members in Engkilili division who refuse to support him.

Rayong, it appears, has far too many skeletons (and enemies) in his closet. But SUPP supreme council still went ahead and retained him as candidate.

This simply means the SUPP leaders do not want to upset Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition chairman Taib Mahmud, who allegedly has a good opinion of Rayong.

According to Johnathan Krai, an influential member of the Engkilili SUPP branch, Rayong has burnt his bridges with the Chinese and Iban communities in Engkilili.

“The Chinese and Ibans are not happy with him due to the trails of broken promises.

“Rayong promised RM29 million to implement projects including electricity, water and roads in the constituency, but this promise remains empty.

“Now he is blaming certain government agencies for not carrying out the projects,” said Krai.

Poor credibility

Krai said that Rayong had also pledged minor rural development projects but only a handful of schools and associations have received them.

He added that Rayong’s personal behaviour has also irked the people, especially the news that he has three wives including a Muslim wife.

“Rayong is not telling the truth about having three wives. This news has caught the constituents by surprise, and they are losing trust in him.

Krai was commenting on SUPP secretary-general Sim Kheng Hui’s recent announcement that the party would retain Rayong as candidate in Engkilili.

Within the SUPP branch in Engkilili, there is growing unhappiness over Rayong. Many are upset by his neglect of its members and have called on the party’s top leadership to reassess his candidacy.

At a recent gathering of the Chinese community at Jelukong, “Kapitan China” Bong Jin Choon said the people had lost faith in Rayong due to his “many broken promises and failure to solve problems affecting them”.

“We urge the party to reassess Rayong’s candidacy… people here (Engkilili) have lost confidence in him,” said Bong, adding that Krai who stood against Rayong in the 2006 election be given a second chance.

“We propose Krai. After all, he lost by mere 426 votes to Rayong  the last time.

“Krai has been a loyal member of SUPP. One way of rewarding him and recognising his loyalty is to give him another chance to contest,” he added.

Against majority wish

Bong said Rayong had in the last polls wanted to get rid of SUPP in Engkilili and had gone all out to damage the party’s credibility.

“How can SUPP now support such a person?” he asked