Soo (second right) shows Aspirasi's new logo of a shield and Rajah Brooke Butterfly. Also seen are (from right) Voon, Bulin and Mesah.
By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Feb 22: State Reform Party (Star) has changed its name to Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) with its new logo featuring the Rajah Brooke Butterfly as it aims to become a ‘third force’ that would create a perfect storm for Sarawak in the next state election due in 2021.
Its president Lina Soo pointed out that the change was necessary to progress and move forward with the changing times.
“The change of name was approved (by Registrar of Societies) on Jan 24, 2020. And we have also changed our logo.
“The iconic shield design is inspired by our desire to protect and defend Sarawak while the magnificent and splendid Rajah Brooke Butterfly is our very own Sarawak butterfly by name which has a deep and powerful representation of life – endurance, transformation, hope and freedom,” she told a press conference today.
Even though the butterfly has a short lifespan of seven days, Soo emphasised that its brief existence is iconic of the meaning of life not measured by seconds and minutes, but by how much it contributes to the ecosystem and sustenance of the planet.
With Sarawak now at a critical juncture at the crossroads, she said the time was ripe for Sarawak to lead the way in ‘third force’ politics, such as practiced in United States and Europe, where a political party or group acts as a check and counter-balancing force between two major political parties, and is in position to make demands from either party in the interests of the people.
“GE14 proved that a two-party system can become a reality, after 55 years of unbroken one-party rule. However, the two-party system works only for the two parties who serve themselves and their political bosses to safeguard their own positions and political power,” she opined.
“The third party is about serving the people and does not care about ministerial positions, government-linked companies (GLC) appointments, contracts and does not have to ‘kowtow’ (subservient) to the government or political bosses.
“Aspirasi will be the third party catalyst because it is the only viable Sarawak political vehicle to carry the people’s aspiration for self-determination,” she added.
Aiming to stand in 22 seats in the next state election, Soo said that if they could win a majority of the seats, it will have power to prevent either main parties to form the government on its own.
Thus, she added that Aspirasi welcomed all political parties including Party Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) and non-governmental organisations like Sarawak for Sarawakians (S4S) to unite their forces and fight the main parties together.
“If we can combine into one force to fight, then we have better chance. We will make demands with parties who want to form a minority government,” she said.
Soo highlighted that Aspirasi advocates the Sarawak Referendum as its core policy goal and political agenda in PRN12, which includes the option of Sarawak independence and restoration of sovereignty.
“With representation in DUN (State Legislative Assembly), our party shall pursue the Sarawak Referendum to direct the Sarawak government to make the Referendum constitutional,” she stressed.
A referendum was a necessary prerequisite as first stage on the road to independence, she continued, and which will put to rest the claim made by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamd in New York in September last year, that the people of Sarawak did not to want independence.
“The Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) has also made multiple statements that Sarawak will stay in the Federation of Malaysia forever. It is our party view that two persons cannot make the decision for all Sarawak citizens without consulting the people in a free and fair voting process,” she added.
After 57 years of Malaysia’s formation, she said Sarawak government must now get the clear mandate and consent of the people if Sarawak is to continue, as it cannot be imprisoned in the federation against the people’s will.
“Should DUN ignore the people’s voice, Aspirasi shall have no option but work towards a consultative referendum using smartphone and blockchain technology, giving one man one vote, to create a reliable and credible set of data to prove that there is visible support from a significant proportion of the population,” she explained.
“With this change of name and logo, Aspirasi declares our core policy goal to pursue the Sarawak Referendum to allow our people to determine and to let known beyond all doubts what future we choose.
“The people of Sarawak are now politically matured and capable of making an informed decision to determine the sovereignty and destiny of our homeland,” she added.
Aspirasi chairman Bulin Ribos as well as committee members Albert Voon and Mesah Suhaili were present. —DayakDaily
The new logo of Aspirasi (formerly Star) of a shield and Rajah Brooke Butterfly is inspired by the desire to protect and defend Sarawak.
