HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Lau (fifth left) leads in the cutting of the birthday cake of Lau Clan. Deputy chairman of Lau Clan Association Penghulu Philip Law is on the left. Chairman of the senior citizens club Lau Ing Kung is third right while the clan’s women chief Datuk Janet Lau is on right.
SIBU: Chinese community leader Temenggong Vincent Lau concurs with the call by the Federation of Sarawak Chinese Associations for Chinese associations not to duplicate its social roles as it is the umbrella body that unites all Chinese bodies.
He was making known his views at the dinner of senior citizens club of Sarawak Pan Chen Lau Clan Association on Sunday.
It was the first time Lau had made the appeal in a public function to call for unity among the Chinese bodies by avoiding the clash.
He specifically mentioned the controversy that had arisen from the formation of the Federation of the Seven Clans Association, saying the incident had become a hot issue.
“I do not agree if the federation of the seven dialect clans association is formed to cause the clash; we must all think first of the benefits for the whole Chinese community.”
Lau did not elaborate, except to call for an amicable solution to mend the possible division that might have arisen.
The community leader also talked about the dialectal clans which had been insisting on their special privilege to have official posts in the Federation of Sarawak Chinese Associations, which did not bode well for unity.
He said: “We have been talking about unity, yet within the Chinese community we are dividing ourselves into dialectal clans as emphasis for the special privilege in the Federation of Sarawak Chinese Associations.”
Lau also showed concern over the formation of surname clans, saying they also had been making demands. He said within the Chinese community, there must be changes made to unite all clans, be they dialectical or surname clans.
The dinner was hosted to commemorate members’ birthdays and for a song contest.
Lau praised club members for their commitment in bringing social benefits to their members.
He hoped more senior members would join the club to pool their resources together.
Lau said they had identified the positive role played by the club, and the clan would soon form the senior citizens club on a state level.
He said there were many clan associations in town formed for the sake of goodwill among their folks, which he hoped would come together to build solidarity in the Chinese community.
“From unity in the inner circle of individual clans, we must look forward to the larger unity that binds the whole community together through an umbrella body,” he said.