SUPP must recruit more youths for its survival — Dr Sim
KUCHING: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party ( SUPP) must recruit more young members for the party to survive in the future, said SUPP president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
As of yesterday, he said only 12 per cent of the party’s total membership are below 40 years old.
SUPP has 111,737 members state-wide, of which, 45 per cent are women and 33 per cent are Bumiputeras, he said.
He added that 2,845 of the overall members are Indians, Eurasians and other ethnic groups.
“What we need is to have many more young people to join SUPP. The survival of SUPP depends on the number of young members.
“There are a lot of platforms and opportunities for the young people, and with more young people, we can continue to fight for Sarawak,” he said at the party’s flag-raising ceremony to mark SUPP’s 58th anniversary at the party’s headquarters here yesterday.
Dr Sim, who is also Local Government and Housing Minister, urged young Sarawakians to join SUPP to enable the party to groom quality leaders like their founders the late Tan Sri Datuk Amar Ong Kee Hui and the late Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Yong.
Dr Sim said he wanted to groom more young members and hopes that the party would remain united and support the young ones to shine.
He said the party would instill political and critical thinking into young members so that they “are trained to think politics”.
He reminded party leaders and members that SUPP was formed 58 years ago yesterday (June 4, 1959) in Sibu.
“Not only is SUPP a Sarawakbased political party but we are also the oldest political party in Sarawak.”
Dr Sim asserted that Sarawakians have given a chance to the party during the 2016 state election when SUPP won seven state seats.
He said SUPP appreciates the support and hopes that the people would continue to rally behind the party.
Dr Sim thanked SUPP honorary president Tan Sri Peter Chin and advisor to the party’s discipline committee Datuk Alfred Yap for joining the ceremony.
Among those present were SUPP secretary- general Datuk Sebastian Ting, who is also Piasau assemblyman, and vice president Datuk Lily Yong.