HANDBOOK FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION: Taib, Wong (third right), Lu (second left) and others during the launching of the handbook. — Photo by Chimon Upon
Chief Minister calls on BN to recruit more young people to maintain people’s mandate
KUCHING: The state Barisan Nasional (BN) must have plans for power transition and strive to recruit more young people to continue getting the people’s mandate.
Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud made this call at the installation dinner of new committee members for year 2013-2014 for Kuching Division Chinese Community Leaders Association here last night.
He cautioned the two thirds majority the state BN gained in the last state election was not guaranteed to last forever and the government must adapt to changing time through younger members to remain relevant.
However, he pointed out it was vital for BN to retain its leaders in the transition of power as the nation would not prosper if it were governed by people who had no experience in running the country and the state.
“The pattern of our organsiations, our politics are still in favour of much older people. In the future, it will be handed down to younger people. This is how it should be because our future would be determined by our youth.
“Political parties, whether it is SUPP, PBB, SPDP or PRS, we will have to tackle this problem. If we fail to do so, we will pay the price. If we succeed, we will still be able to get people to trust us.”
On the general election, the chief minister was confident that BN would win the people’s trust to continue running the country.
“This is because the people will still want to see the country prosper further. Whatever you say, it is still has to be the Barisan Nasional.
“I’m not prejudiced but I can’t see a prosperous Malaysia and a prosperous Sarawak in the hand of people who have no experience to run our nation.”
Local Government and Community Development Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, who spoke earlier, expressed his regret that in recent years, certain irresponsible quarters had tarnished the image of leaders through unsubstantiated allegations to create hatred and anger.
He hoped that this negative attitude could be corrected saying that community leaders had the position and experience to do that.
“It is therefore important for the comminute leaders to act as a body that can guide the thinking and attitude of the people,” he said.
During the function, the organization chart and handbook of the association was launched by Taib.
Explaining the function of the handbook, the association’s president Temenggong Lu Kim Yong said that it was to ease the communication between the people and the community leaders.
He hoped that the handbook, which consisted of the personal contact of all community leaders, would be utilised by the people as well as private organisations and government agencies.
Also present were Deputy Works Minister Datuk Yong Khoon Seng, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani and organising chairman Pemanca Liu Thian Leong.