Wong (third right) cutting the first anniversary cake of UPP Batu Kawah branch, while Dr Jerip (fourth right), Liu (second right), Rayong (fourth left) and others look on. — Photo by Jeffery Mostapa
UPP Batu Kawah branch committee members singing their party song during their branch’s first anniversary celebration. — Photo by Kong Jun Liung
UPP Batu Kawah branch members holding a banner to support Liu to be nominated as a candidate for Batu Kawah state constituency.
KUCHING: UPP president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh has outlined four qualities that made UPP Batu Kawah branch chairman Liu Thian Leong stand out as a good leader and candidate for Batu Kawah state constituency in the coming state election.
Speaking at the dinner to mark the first anniversary of UPP Batu Kawah branch here on Wednesday, Wong said Liu first of all has education at heart, particularly Chinese education.
According to him, Liu had for the past 20 to 30 years, worked very hard to ensure Chinese education stood tall and could carry on unabated.
“Secondly, I think comrade Liu is a man with the people at heart. He has personally gone to the ground to all corners of
Batu Kawah, listening to the people and lending a helping hand to those who need help.”
Apart from that, Wong who is Local Government and Community Development Minister said Liu was a man with a great sense of duty and responsibility.
“He is assiduous in his duty of helping people, both in his capacity as community leader and UPP Batu Kawah branch chairman. He is widely recognised as a very responsible leader trying to help the people of all races and all strata of society.”
As for the fourth quality, Wong said Batu Kawah is always close to Liu’s heart, adding that the former pemanca had always been very enthusiastic and passionate in helping to develop Batu Kawah.
“Very often, he brings problems and issues of Batu Kawah to me and other relevant government departments and agencies
hoping to get help from various quarters in order to help develop Batu Kawah.”
With what Liu had done over the years, the party was very confident that he would be one of the most winnable candidates for BN in the forthcoming state election.
“Therefore, we hope when the time comes, he will be recognised as one of the most winnable candidates to stand in Batu Kawah state constituency. However, we leave the decision to our chief minister (Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem).
“I’m sure our chief minister has the wisdom to pick the right candidate and I think the right candidate is Liu Thian Leong.”
He complimented Liu for bringing UPP Batu Kawah to a level of success that everyone in the party was proud of.
Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, also told those present at the dinner that Adenan had organised a dialogue between SUPP and UPP in the hope that both parties could reconcile on seat allocation.
“We have done our part as we have written to SUPP, asking them to indicate the time and place for a meeting and so on but there has been no response from the other side so far. Anyway, we will leave it to our chief minister to decide.”
He said the state currently has a capable leader in the person of Adenan, who is a man of political prowess and determined to serve the people, besides bringing to the people all the rights of Sarawakians and is there to make sure that all communities deserve what they are entitled to.
“This is the best chance for us to work together with him (Adenan), for him and of course, to make sure that BN get the greatest mandate to enable our chief minister to do more for the next five years.
“Unfortunately, the other party (SUPP) does not respond, the other party does not want to cooperate with us but anyway
it’s okay, we will leave it to the wisdom of the chief minister to decide,” he said.
On the part of UPP, the party has candidates who can deliver and ensure maximum victory for BN in all the constituencies the party nominates its candidates for.
“Therefore, all of us will have to work very hard at all levels. With concerted efforts, I’m sure we, UPP, will have resounding success in the forthcoming state election,” Wong said.
Among those present at the event were UPP deputy president Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, youth chief Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa, advisors Temenggong Lu Kim Yong and Dr Chou Chii Ming and organising chairperson Christine Bong.