Making SUPP relevant

MIRI: Miri SUPP legal adviser David Siaw Ting Cheng has proposed that the party carry out a comprehensive overhaul of its constitution to do away with outdated laws and undemocratic practices and come up with a new constitution to make the party relevant to today’s political climate.

Siaw, a member of the Malaysian Bar Council’s Constitutional Laws Committee, yesterday said the SUPP constitution was not only outdated but also socialistic in outlook.

He said that the socialistic image and “undemocratic” constitution had rendered the party unattractive in the current political arena in the state and country.

“Times have changed but SUPP, unfortunately, has not. The socialistic and seemingly undemocratic way of doing things in SUPP must be discarded in this new era of politics.

“If SUPP does not carry out credible and concrete reforms by revamping its constitution, it will die a natural death. For the party’s betterment, SUPP needs to draw up a new constitution fast,” he told The Star.

Siaw, the former vice-president and Miri branch chairman of the Advocates Association of Sarawak, said that changes must be made to the SUPP constitution to allow for:

·Direct elections for all posts at branch and central committee levels because the practice of electing a grouping of delegates at branch level and influencing them at central level was a socialistic way of politics;

·Abolishment of the SUPP central working committee (CWC) because the grouping of powerful leaders was a remnant of the past era. (Siaw said the CWC’s power should be handed over to the central committee.);

·Formation of the Youth, Women and Puteri wings as separate entities recognised by the SUPP constitution. The current Youth and Women wings were powerless because CWC approval was needed for any decisions of the wings;

·A maximum term of office be set for the SUPP president, Youth chief and Women chief. Siaw proposed that those holding these posts be allowed only three terms unlike the current unlimited term;

·Maximum of four terms in office for branch chairman;

·A new clause providing for at least 25% of all central and branch committee posts to be held by the Youth (aged less than 40 years) and Women wings;

·A new clause providing for at least 20% of the posts to be held by party members from minority races;

·Creating a proper financial arm under the constitution to manage party finances in a transparent manner and with accountability to cater to the financial needs and future undertakings of SUPP; and

·To expand the party’s reach outside Sarawak.

Siaw said he was willing to help draft a new constitution for the party.

Commenting on Serian MP Datuk Richard Riot’s enthusiasm to take over the SUPP presidency with enough support from the rest of SUPP, Siaw said there was no reason why Riot could not become the president.

“SUPP was formed in a multi-racial spirit some 50 years ago. I’ll support Richard as the party’s president as long as he and his committee can command the required unity from the party’s grassroots.

“SUPP must open itself to new fruitful ideas and accept the mandate of capable leaders of all races,” he said.

He said the party should also getrid of the old foolish habit of categorising people according to race, which was inherited from the past leaders.

Siaw is among the Miri SUPP leaders aiming for higher posts during the branch elections in November.