KUCHING, Feb 14: Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) chairman George Young Si Ricord Junior asserted that the appointments of new office bearers were done in accordance with the party’s constitution and democratic principles.
He was responding to Lina Soo who insisted that she is the Aspirasi incumbent president, in light of an apparently ongoing power struggle in the party.
“In recent times, the party has struggled to be relevant and a new approach is clearly needed. Change is uncomfortable, but change is necessary to move forward and progress the party to meet the aspirations of Sarawakians. In the words of John F Kennedy, ‘No individual is greater than the goal we seek to achieve’.
“It is important to remember that the party is bigger than any one individual. While we understand that not everyone may agree with every decision made, the appointments of new office bearers were done in accordance with the party’s constitution and democratic principles,” he said in a statement today.
George also said that the party acknowledged the efforts of those who have come before, and continued to value the contributions of all members.
“However, it is crucial that we maintain party unity and work towards a common goal. Our top priority is to serve the people and make positive changes for our community.
“Personal attacks are indeed regrettable and not in line with the principles and values of the party. We encourage all members to engage in respectful and constructive dialogue and to focus on the issues at hand, and to refrain from irrational or impulsive behaviour,” he added.
Following this, he urged all party members to remain calm and assured the public that the party is committed to addressing any issues in a fair and transparent manner.
“In conclusion, we are confident and committed under the new leadership to promoting a healthy and productive political environment for all members of our party. We believe that by working together, we can continue to make progress and achieve our shared goals for the betterment of our community,” he emphasised.
After Soo’s first statement, Andygie Gines who claimed to be the party’s “new” secretary-general issued a statement saying that Soo’s removal was done according to procedures.
This prompted Soo to challenge Gines’ statement, calling him a “non-member”. — DayakDaily
