YEE Tsai Yiew (pic) has been elected Api-Api PBS Division Chief, succeeding her father Datuk Seri Dr Yee Moh Chai, who held the post for 40 years, at the party’s 41st Annual General Meeting on Sunday.
The election was held jointly with the Luyang Division at the Hakka Hall here.
PBS Acting President Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam congratulated Tsai Yiew at the closing ceremony and pledged the party’s full support.
“Do not worry, we will all be behind you, we all have to work together,” he said.
In her address, Tsai Yiew said many of those present had known her since she was a child in the early 1990s, but that she stood before them now as a member in her own right.
“I stand before you not simply as the daughter of Datuk Seri Dr Yee Moh Chai and Datin Seri Vicky Yee. I stand before you as your comrade and fellow member of the PBS family,” she said, adding that she accepted the post with gratitude, humility and a sense of duty.
She also credited Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili for opening the door to her entry into politics.
In a symbolic moment, Dr Yee Moh Chai produced a rubber stamp bearing the old Api-Api N15 constituency designation, which he said he had kept for decades, and handed it to his daughter before party leadership as witness. The constituency is now designated Api-Api N20.
“I have been keeping this. I want to pass it over to the Ketua Bahagian who will take over from me. I did not realise it happened to be my daughter,” he said.
He described her as hard-working, passionate, focused and responsible, and said he offered those words as an objective assessment rather than a father’s praise.
“She has a great responsibility. She will need to earn her respect,” he said.
Dr Yee Moh Chai also confirmed he will not contest the upcoming PBS party election, and gave his full backing to Datuk Lo Su Fui to succeed him as Deputy President.
“I further endorse and support fully the gentleman who would hopefully take over that particular responsibility, and he is none other than Datuk Lo Su Fui,” he said.
He said he was stepping back not with regret but with a sense of purpose fulfilled, expressing confidence in the new generation of party leadership.
Meanwhile, Tsai Yiew said the Api-Api N20 Division had unanimously passed a resolution backing the party’s top leadership for uncontested returns, endorsing Dr Joachim as President, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai as Bumiputera-quota Deputy President, Datuk Lo Su Fui as Chinese-quota Deputy President and Datuk Ruslan Muharam as Bumiputera Islam-quota Deputy President.
Dr Joachim also noted that the joint AGM marked the first time he had seen new members inducted at an Api-Api meeting, and said membership growth was essential to the party’s survival.
“Without members, we would not last long. Even if we have very good leadership, without those at the ground, it is difficult,” he said.