KUCHING: United People’s Party (UPP) Youth is disappointed with SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian for trying to avoid responsibility as a leader when he denied of having anything to do with SUPP’s failure to object to an amendment to an article in the Federal Constitution pursuant to downgrading the status of Sarawak from equal partner within Malaysia to a state in 1976.
UPP Youth deputy chairman Nixon Lee Kwang Hai said: “If indeed the father-and-son example as quoted by Dr Sim is anything to go by, perhaps he should ask this to himself as to why his father agreed or did not do anything to object or prevent the amendment.
“Let’s also be clear that Dr Sim’s father is the late (Tan Sri) Sim Kheng Hong, one of the founders of SUPP who held the third highest post as deputy chief minister of Sarawak from 1974 to 1990.”
Lee was referring to Dr Sim’s statement that he did not know what his father had done when asked if SUPP knew about the status change.
On Oct 21, Dr Sim was quoted by the media as having said: “It is childish, immature and inappropriate, how can I answer something I don’t even know. If your father robs the bank or breaks and steals something will you be responsible for it?”
“Since Dr Sim quoted example of father-and-son and he had nothing to do with what his father did or did not do to protect the interest of Sarawak, will he agree that if the father did something wrong he should condemn it?
“In this case, condoning the amendment of constitution to downgrade Sarawak to a state, is thereby eroding our rights as a partner to Malaysia.
“Yet, is a political party a family and the helm is passed from father to son? Can Dr Sim honestly equate the incident as synonymous to a father and son situation?
“Perhaps, Dr Sim is not familiar with the importance of Chinese culture and tradition in that even accepting the incident as a father-and-son scenario, is it not pillory in Chinese proverbial teaching that a person is duty bound to act and live in honour of our ancestors and for the sake of our future generation?
“Put that aside, SUPP is a political party subsisting on the foundation of its obligation to its people. Let us be clear that every person including political party, or otherwise must be held responsible for their action without exception. This is the most fundamental difference between us human and animal or between decency and untouchable, father and son or not.
“On the other hand, let’s be fair to Dr Sim in that Dr Sim’s father was not the only one leading SUPP. The same should apply to the then leaders and their children the same question and to all current SUPP leaders to stand up and be ‘counted’. May be he can’t be blamed or be made responsible for his father’s act or lack of act but does he condemn or condone or indifferent or as nothing to do with him,” Lee argued.
Dr Sim, who is Batu Kawah assemblyman, said he was baffled as to why then-MPs from Sarawak agreed to the amendment to the Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution which downgraded the status of Sarawak and Sabah from equal partners within Malaysia to states when the matter was debated on July 12 and13, 1976.
Dr Sim, however, said he would like to find out from these MPs personally if they are still alive now.
For the record, SUPP secretary-general Datuk Sebastian Ting apologised on behalf of SUPP on Oct 19 for its failure to defend Sarawak.