May the best person win

The SUPP Headquarters has never been so carnival-like atmosphere on Wednesday if not for the nomination for the party’s Youth and Wanita wings.

The hollow state of the headquarters had suddenly come alive with delegates from both movements, which will be holding its delegates conference today, submitting their nominations to vie for the central committee.

Journalists covering the nomination process must have a long day, but thanks to the IT, they were able to e-mail back their news write-up to the editors and could call it a day to hit the traffic jam right on time.

As the nomination closed at 5pm sharp, the SUPP Youth received 127 nominations, far exceeding the 72 central committee posts, thus paving way for an election.

Nomination for the SUPP Wanita meanwhile is seeing 100 aspirants vying for the 49 central committee posts, meaning the women will also see a contest.

SUPP Sibu branch Youth Chief, Chieng Jin Ek, 33-year old and Batu Lintang Youth Chief, Sih Hua Tong, 44, will slug it out for the post of Youth Central Chairman, after former Pending Youth Chief, Alan Sim Yaw Yen, 44, announced that he would not be defending the post recently.

As for the SUPP Wanita, Batu Lintang Women Chief, Cheng Yi and Piasau Women Chief, Suzanne Lee will lock horns in the battle for the Women Central Chief post, vacated by Sibu Women Chief, Datin Janet Lau.

The two tier system will be practised in the election for both wings as stipulated in the constitution, meaning the first round of election will see the delegates electing the central committee members.

In the second round, the elected central committee members will elect the office bearers who will helm the movements in the next three years.

This method of election will have no doubts compel both camps to come out with their “cai tan” or menu to the voting delegates who will determine the new line-up.

Whatever the outcome of the election which I foresee to be a close fight between the two hopefuls, both in the Youth and Wanita wings, the new lineup will be seen as the next echelon of leaders who will take over the party leadership, many of whom are already in their twilight years.

Being perceived as the next echelon of leaders, these young aspiring politicians would have an uphill task to face the electorates in the coming state election, if and only if they are fielded as candidates, with the current political scenario and the weak perception of the party in the eyes of the public.

How this new breed of politicians will rejuvenate the party, only if they were given ample opportunities by the top leadership, will remain to be seen.

How are they going to win back the heart of the voters and be seen as the voice of the people, championing for the people’s interest, without both hands tied is best left answered by the new line-up.

The past six years have seen the SUPP Youth, under the leadership of Alan Sim creating a change of its image.

But the various initiatives undertaken by the movement, in particular its education project, which has won accolades from many parents and students, could not withstand the onslaught of the people’s unhappiness over the government’s many shortcomings, resulting in the Sim’s incomprehensible defeat to DAP’s Chong Chieng Jen in the Bandar Kuching parliamentary election, despite his good and clean records.

The new leadership of both wings must be a force of change for the party.

The task, seen by many political observers, as extremely difficult with the current set-up in the party may be the first hurdle for these young aspiring politicians.

Many politicians have said enough about Obamania but how many are ready to do the necessary change other than the admiration being a mere rhetoric?

Change is imminent but at a cost and it takes a great leader with strong political will to effect the change.

Whatever it takes, as you read this column, the delegates of both SUPP Youth and Wanita will be casting their ballots to elect the new leadership of the movements.

To whoever is the victor and loser, both are the winners of this party election as democracy is at least being practised and the election process duly exercised and experienced by the members.

May the best man win.