KUCHING: A veteran SUPP member has attributed the declining popularity of the party to the party’s present leadership.
Pemanca Voon Kim Fah thinks that SUPP party leaders should take the blame for round-the-clock public criticism.
“General comments have it that SUPP is a no-good party but I do not think so. It is not that SUPP is bad but the leaders are a let-down.
“The capability of the leaders is below expectation. So why do our people keep pointing fingers at the party rather than at the leaders?
“As far as the party is concerned, nothing is really bad. The key lies in our leaders,” he said at SUPP Segobang sub-branch’s 51st anniversary dinner at Chung Hua Batu Kawa Primary School basketball court near here Friday.
Voon, who is Batu Kawa branch honorary chairman and Segobang sub-branch adviser, pointed out that SUPP leaders were obliged to steer the party in the right direction.
For instance, he said, German brand automobile Mercedes Benz had always been known as one of the promising and luxurious vehicles across the globe but accidents could still happen depending on the drivers.
He added that there was no way for anyone to say that the German car was lousy just because the person behind the wheel smashed it during an accident.
“The problem is with the driver not the Mercedes Benz,” he said.
Having supported the party for 51 years through thick and thin, he said he had had enough of negative comments from the ground ever since the party’s setback in the 2006 election.
“We had the most horrible defeat on May 20, 2006. It was all because the people had placed high hopes on us and yet we disappointed them.”
Voon admitted that the party made mistakes or failed to do certain things but he claimed that it could do better if given a second chance. On top of all, he said party leaders and members must change their attitude so that they would be able to learn more.
“I have been with the party for over 50 odd years. I went through the leadership of all past presidents namely Ong Kee Hui, Stephen Yong and Wong Soon Kai, and now you know who,” he said.
The party is currently led by Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan, who is Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism and Heritage and Industrial Development.
Voon said he had been loyal to the party and he never felt sorry for anyone given that he served wholeheartedly.
He therefore urged veteran members to be the mentor of youngsters in the party so as to groom leaders of quality and capability for SUPP.