Teng accuses opposition of fanning unreasonable demands

Posted on October 25, 2010, Monday

KUCHING: Many calls to the government seem to have gone overboard simply due to the tactics of the opposition, observed SUPP treasurer Datuk David Teng.

Datuk David Teng

He said some political foes had put the demand of the people to a level that brought many issues to a knotty situation.
The Assistant Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture (Food Industries) asserted that what the party or rather the government could fulfill was to meet the basic needs of the various communities but not endless requests.
He felt that the people had to be told that their soaring demands might result in disappointment.
“We must tell them what we can do.

“Needs are entirely different from high demand. In my constituency, for example, some people do not even have electricity and water supply, the basic needs of life.
“Have those influenced by the opposition demanding for this and that ever thought about the needs of these rural people? Are the rural communities not human beings?” he said at SUPP Segobang sub-branch’s 51st anniversary dinner held at the Chung Hua Batu Kawa Primary School on Friday.
Teng  said SUPP wanted to ask the people whether it had owed them anything at any time.
“We are well aware that the people are our masters but do our masters know their roles? SUPP knows what people want since the day we help formed the united government in 1970.”
He stressed that the party not only knew what the communities in the state wanted but also tried its best to help them achieve it.
In 1970, he said SUPP learned that the people sought stability so it joined to form a government to pursue what they needed.
“We have been part of the government since then and we persevere in what we do. The opposition is only talking about policies.
“We are implementing policies and solving problems,” he said.
He thus called on party comrades to keep their chin up as he believed “the future of the party is not bleak since it does not wrong the people”.
He also noted that since the severe political setback in May 2006 election, many party members had spent three years or more wallowing in self-pity.
“So much time has already been wasted. Fortunately, many comrades have got the wake-up call recently.
“We must move with the times otherwise we may face another defeat come the next election.
“Let us stay vigorous and openly talk about what SUPP has achieved all these years,” he said.
Citing former world class boxer, Muhammd Ali, as an example, Teng said the renowned sportsman made his name as he was coached to learn to take punches and wait for the right time to counter-strike.
“We all know taking punches is the most difficult part of all. Yet, this is the secret to success. Same theory goes to SUPP. Fifty-one years of rain and shine mean a lot and we will not go down just because of negative comments,” he said.