UPP to submit documents to RoS on name, logo change tomorrow
KUCHING: Documents pertaining to the rebranding of United People’s Party (UPP) to Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) will be submitted to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) here for approval tomorrow (Dec 10).
UPP secretary-general George Lo said the matter needs to be carried out quickly as it involves changing the party’s name and logo, as well as amendment to its constitution.
“We are going to pursue this vigorously with RoS because it concerns the change of the party’s name and logo. We would like to have the amendment approved on an urgent basis,” he said.
He added that only when the green light is given by RoS will the constitutional amendment be deemed technically and legally effective.
Lo was addressing a press conference following UPP’s Extraordinary Delegates Conference (EDC) yesterday in which delegates unanimously agreed to change the party’s name and logo and to amend their constitution.
He said since the name and logo of the party is part of the constitution, the amendment is necessary to change it from UPP to PSB.
“However, I think you will find that every member of the party is seeing themselves as a member of PSB from now on,” he added.
On another note, Lo highlighted that three resolutions were passed by the delegates at the EDC.
The first resolution, he said, is to provide the party’s full support and total loyalty to the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
According to him, party members were told that Abang Johari has been at every stage of the party’s milestone – a reflection of the special relationship formed between the chief minister and the party.
He said it was Abang Johari – then Minister of Tourism and Housing – who arranged for the meeting with former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to seek approval to form UPP.
“He (Abang Johari) was there before we (UPP) were formed. During our first Triennial Delegates Conference (Jan 11, 2015) after the party was registered, he was also the guest of honour,” said Lo.
The second resolution, he said, is to call on the federal government to honour its election manifesto in restoring the rights and privileges of Sarawak as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
“The third resolution is adopted from the party president’s speech during the unveiling of the party’s new name and logo, which is the desire of the party to work with any like-minded persons or parties to serve the better interest of every Sarawakian in every community.”
UPP president Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, who also attended the press conference, said it has always been a ‘tradition’ for the party to be part of the state’s ruling coalition.
“All this time, we remained as ‘BN-Plus’ or BN-friendly party to work with them (state ruling coalition). It has become a tradition in a way. Now, we are also a family in a way,” said the Second Finance Minister, who is also International Trade and ECommerce Minister.