KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) president Tan Sri Peter Chin on Friday night called on party members to use the experience and defeat of the May 5 general election to bolster the party for the next state election.
He said the party needed to analyse and reflect on the weak points and rectify, acknowledging that there was much to be done before the election.
According to him, the party was not done in yet despite the disastrous results in the 2011 state election and the recent general election.
“We (the party) must face reality and courageously deal with problems that arise. Only then will people have the confidence to accept us again … we cannot solely rely on other component parties to help… We need to reflect on our own weak points and improve on them,” Chin said at SUPP Pending branch’s 29th anniversary dinner at Thian Court Restaurant.
He believed that the party could return to its glory days if every branch analysed and rectified its own problems, adding that every branch should hold more activities to foster closer ties among members and instil a sense of comradeship.
Chin disclosed that the party was planning to visit every branch next month to hold dialogues and get feedback on the situation of all branches readying for the state election.
He asserted that the party was multi-racial and acknowledged the strong support from the non-Chinese members.
He also congratulated SUPP Pending branch for being able to organise the dinner and bringing in many members despite the party being at a low ebb, adding that the branch was among the strongest.
Meanwhile, SUPP Pending branch chairman Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian urged members to take a lesson from history and to use the past to re-look at what should be done and not done even while at their lowest of times.
“People want to see results, and people want real hope. Barisan Nasional (BN) will never give false hope or action,” he stressed.
Dr Sim, who is SUPP secretary general, pointed out that the party needed to move forward and prove through results, adding that the party has contributed significantly to society in the past 50 years.
He echoed Chin’s acknowledgement on the non-Chinese support and hoped the strong support continues.
“We hope that non-Chinese members of the party will come forward and contribute to the party and its policies and work together to win more seats in the next election,” Sim said.