KUCHING: There is no need for Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) to amend its party constitution to allow 18-year-olds to become party members.
SUPP Youth chief Michael Tiang said the minimum age to join the party as a member is already 18 years old.
"From the very beginning, the age qualification to become a member has always been 18 years old. Therefore, our youth section does not need to amend our age limit to allow youngsters to join us.
"Whoever joins SUPP at the age of 18 or within our youth section will become our members," he said.
He was commenting on Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), the backbone of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government's decision to establish a new wing specifically for members aged between 18 and 28 to promote youth empowerment in the party.
The GPS coalition consists of PBB, SUPP, Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP).
Tiang, who is also the Assistant Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government said instead of setting up a new wing, SUPP youth section would organise more activities for youngsters specially designed for those between 18 and 25.
"This is in view with Undi18 being approved by the Parliament; thus, more young people between 18 and 21 would be eligible to cast their votes in the next general election."
"I always encourage the party members to reach out to the young. Their aspirations and needs and their interests are very different from other age groups," he said.
The Pelawan assemblyman also said that the party would provide young people with more public service platforms to expose them to public service.
As youths are future leaders, Tiang said, it was important to groom them, and public service provides the opportunity for the young to be groomed as future leaders.
He said this was important to enable the young ones to see how the government and society worked.
"This will better equip them for future leadership roles that they will undertake," he said.
