SUPP BAWANG ASSAN BRANCH 1ST AGM Welcoming speech Welcome all comrades, friends and press friends. This constituency represents the diverse community of Sarawak， from the urban Chinese and natives， the rural community, the Ibans at their longhouses and the melanau kampungs in Rassau. SUPP has been around more than 55 years and has been the representatives of the people here until very recently. I thank you all for staying with the Party It has gone through many challenges. Its leaders had been imprisoned for their believes as laid down in its constitution especially the emphasis of defending the interest of Sarawak and to create a fairer society by creating more opportunity for the less economically well off. None of that challenges in the early days of SUPP manage to destroy our party. External forces did not destroy us. However, over the last few years we saw how our party was almost destroyed. And that force of destruction came from within the party. The leadership struggle led to the lost of public faith in the party. This is clear from the losses suffered by the party during the last few elections. The public cannot be faulted. How did we get into this situation? It is because of our failure to do what we held out in our constitution to do especially by our leaders during that time. Things change over time. Leaders became comfortable and party purposes were sidelined. Leaders stayed beyond their welcome. Leaders houses became bigger while the ordinary people houses struggle to own a house. The party interest and goal became secondary and the struggle to hold on to position of power became primary concern. It no longer speaks up on issues. The party also slowly came to represent big power/business. The people are smart and can see through it. Theses are the dangers the new group of leaders under Senator Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian and Datuk Sebastian Ting must avoid. How can we avoid repeating this in the future? How to prevent the hijacking of the Party interest for personal agenda? First, the party constitution has to be amended to has term limits and if possible age limit for public office - 2 or 3 terms and a maximum age of 70. Take the example of China, where top leaders must step down before 70. This will set a default system or process to groom the next generation. Second, the party must also be financially strong so as not to again fall into the hand of big business. We know the danger of that. Nothing is for free. Third, the new leaders have to lead to speak up on issues that concern Sarawak. Credit goes to Tan Sri James Masing of PRS on this point. The latest statement he made was in response to the decision by the government not to pursue the threat by Datuk Ibrahim Ali to burn Malay language bibles on the claim that he had defended Islam. He was challenging that decision. SUPP stand with him on this issue. The Constitution of Malaysia guarantees the freedom of worship. The latest news in the press about the attempt to convert the natives in upper Rajang to Islam with money is unacceptable. This is more so in Sarawak as the 18 points agreement expressly dealt with the issue of religion. It was Point no. 1 in the agreement: “While there was no objection to Islam being the national religion of Malaysia there should be no State religion in Sarawak, and the provisions relating to Islam in the present Constitution of Malaya should not apply to Sarawak” On the local front, there is still a great need for development for our rural community in West Bank and the longhouses and villages along Batang Igan and Batang Lebaan, Barisan Nasional has been delivering development. It can be fast tracked. It is only through BN that this can be done. And SUPP is part of BN. SUPP is the original product. It has been said imitation is the best form of flattery. We in SUPP can be proud to know that another party has been formed to imitate us. The name sounds like us; logo and color like us. But it is not us. SUPP Bawang Assan branch is a new beginning. It can be an historic occasion. That depends on the leadership and its members. I know there is a heavy burden on me as the leader of this Branch. I seek your support and criticism when I stray from the aim and purpose of the party. We have many new members especially young and professional members who join on their own accord. There is no coercion or monetary incentive to join. My staff is not forced to join. Your contract of employment does not say you must be involved in politics and to join a political party. Malaysia Constitution guarantees the freedom of association. Sibu used to have a vision to be a city in the late 1990s; there was a visionary team with 6 BN YBs in the team led by the former SUPP Sibu Branch Chairman. Where is that vision now? Sibu has fallen behind. Even Samarahan is catching up and will overtake us in terms of population, development and economic activities one day if the current trend continues. Sibu needs new leadership from people who are committed and passionate and it has started from here to SMC, SRDC and to our representatives in the Government. We are here to serve the people of Bawang Assan. Together with the other 4 branches of Nangka, Pahlawan,Bukit Assek and Dudong, we are here to serve the people of Sibu. SUPP is here to serve the people of Sarawak Sa’ati
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 07:41:27 +0000
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