KUCHING: Temenggong Lu Kim Yong is holding out on hope that SUPP will attend the luncheon discussion with United People’s Party (UPP) at Hilton Kuching this coming Thursday.
In a press statement yesterday, Lu said UPP had confirmed its attendance.
“As a Chinese community leader for Kuching, I am obliged and responsible for the unity and well-being of the community.
“My invitation was in support of the chief minister’s call for UPP and SUPP to work together in order to regain the confidence and support of Chinese voters in the next state election and to strengthen Chinese representation in the mainstream political arena for the betterment of Chinese community.”
Lu said the invitation to the luncheon, which he had initiated, would be a friendly platform for the two parties to meet, and it contained no personal agenda.
He added that he set up the meeting to fulfil his role as the highest ranked Chinese community leader here and with the hope that the two Chinese-majority political parties would place the interest of the Chinese community above all else.
“It will be a simple lunch. No agenda has been set. We just want both party leaders to sit down and discuss behind closed doors in response to the chief minister’s calls for them to work
together.”
He said the invitations were delivered on March 13, adding: “I hope they will be there as it is for the good of the Chinese community.”
To a question, Lu, who is also UPP advisor, said he had not had the chance to speak with party president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh after sending out the invitation.
“I have not met him, yet. The letter was sent last Friday. Today is Monday, and I am in Kuala Lumpur now. But based on what he (Wong) said in the newspapers, he would turn up for the }
luncheon” As for SUPP, Lu said the oldest political party in the state had also responded through the local media, but the response was not what he had in mind.
Lu said he had invited six leaders — president, deputy president, secretary-general, treasurer, organising secretary and publicity secretary — from each party to attend the gathering.