‘SUPP needs to do soul searching’

KUCHING: SUPP, which was almost totally annihilated in the just concluded 13th general election, must go back to basics and conduct thorough soul searching.

A political observer, who requested anonymity, said the party must focus their attention on repairing their badly tarnished image and take stock of whether the services they are offering sync with the needs and aspirations of the general public.

He said ideally they should not think about getting ministerial posts in the federal cabinet.

“Since SUPP fared badly in the polls, the party should emulate MCA by not taking up any ministerial post in the new federal cabinet.

“The party should go back to basics by fulfilling the needs and aspirations of the people which the party represents before thinking of going further.”

SUPP, which was formed in 1959, contested in seven constituencies but only managed to retain Serian through Datuk Richard Riot Jaem.

It not only failed to wrest back Bandar Kuching and Sibu, but also lost Stampin, Lanang, Sarikei and Miri.

Their biggest casualty was five-term Stampin MP Datuk Yong Khoon Seng, who lost to political greenhorn Julian Tan Kok Ping from the DAP. Tan won with a whopping 18,670 vote-majority.

The political observer opined that since gloomy weather had descended upon SUPP, all its leaders and members must now be more united than ever and exercise strong determination to nurse their wounds in order to stand tall again one day.

“The party leaders should not give up. Instead, they should be strong. Even the opposition has had their bad days before.

“Certainly, SUPP is far from being finished as the party still has a lot of supporters as could be seen from the polls results.”

He said he believed that SUPP candidates fell one after the other because the people were angry with the party for not having the courage to voice their stand on a number of issues, particularly those pertaining to corruption, abuse of power and injustice.

The political observer added that the many young leaders in the party must now come to the fore and be daring to take up all challenges for the sake of the party.

“The young leaders must be made of stern stuff and be daring in facing all challenges.”-theborneopost