The young blood in SUPP

suppadmin | September 29, 2015

Youths have risen to take over the leadership of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) here as it gears up for the coming state election.

Chairman of SUPP Bawang Assan branch, Robert Lau Hui Yew, said these were the new blood equipped with the founding spirit when SUPP was set up more than half a century ago.

Speaking at the branch’s Mid-Autumn festive celebration hosted by its women’s section on Friday, he said SUPP had renewed its political struggle based on this pioneering spirit to rebuild its political ideology of ‘Sarawak For Sarawakians’.

He said based on this mission, they would work to close the gap between the rich and the poor and build a just and fair Sarawak for all races.

“We have pumped in new blood to revolutionise and change. This will provide a path for the Chinese community to work with others; in the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem, we shall work for the interest and autonomous rights of Sarawak.”

He said the party’s mission was to be the voice of the people.

“It is important that party members work towards this struggle, and if we lose this back up from members, the party will cease to exist after more than half a century.”

Lau regarded this a trying time for SUPP, and the rising youth leaders must fight together.

“Will we survive this revival efforts? This election will be the touchstone to prove our worth. If we lose, we shall step aside and give way to the others.”

Lau called on members not to lose their worthiness but vote for the party.

He admitted the party had once strayed from its founding spirit and plunged into a leadership crisis.

“I have been with SUPP for 22 years. I was once said as being too young for a leadership role and was put aside from the party central leadership.”

He said their leadership perspective had been rectified now.

“Youth leaders are rising, and I am now a leader in the Bawang Assan branch. There are also many young leaders rising in other branches.”

Lau said he was appointed a councillor in the local government, and he had seen how Sibu had skidded backwards as other towns prospered.

“During the time of the late Datuk Robert Lau Hoi Chew, there was the Sibu BN Development Team to aspire Sibu city in the making by 2020.

“Now, this team has vanished. The tourism efforts to take the town forward did not succeed and the efforts to create more direct flights with Sibu did not materialise either.”

Lau said: “The youth leaders of SUPP in Sibu are now ready. We shall take the voice of the people into the state assembly.”