Is Najib coming to declare open SUPP TDC?

Kuching (Dec 9, 2011): Will Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak be coming to declare open the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) triennial delegates conference tomorrow, in view of the crisis the party is experiencing now?

Asked by reporters after chairing the central committee meeting today, party president Tan Sri Dr George Chan said:"I have not heard that he is not coming. Definitely, he will come."

Party organising secretary Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui said:"Hopefully he will come."

But reporters from the local Chinese newspapers have confirmed from their sources in Kuala Lumpur that Najib, who is also the BN chairman, would not be coming "in view of the latest political development in SUPP".

However, there is no latest official confirmation on whether or not Najib would open the TDC.

Najib's itinerary faxed to the press on Dec 7 had stated that Najib would be accompanied by his wife to Kuching in the afternoon of Dec 10.

He would open the TDC at Pullman Hotel, after which he and his wife would return to KL.

It is also learnt that Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is not coming to the TDC. Instead, he will be deputised by Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg, who is also the PBB deputy president (11).

Other Sarawak BN component party leaders are also expected to attend.

SUPP to table major amendments to its constitution, limiting terms of office of office bearers

Kuching (Dec 9, 2011): Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) central committee held its last meeting today before a new one is elected this Sunday.

It was attended by 69 out of 126 members, sufficient to form a quorum, according to outgoing party president Tan Sri Dr George Chan.

Among the notable absentees were deputy secretary-general Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh and his supporters Dr Jerip Susil, Datuk Lee Kim Sin, Datuk Tiong Thai King and Jonical Rayong.

The major decisions reached at the CC meeting:

1.       Amendments to the party constitution, which limit the appointments of ministers, elected representatives and councillors from the party to the maximum to three terms. The amendments also limit the party’s office bearers for the party central, Youth, Women and branch levels to the maximum three terms. The amendments will be tabled at the triennial delegates conference for voting by the delegates. If the amendments are approved by the TDC and then the Registrar of Societies, they will take effect immediately.

2.       Formation of the Council of Elders to give, among others, advice to the party on any matter.

3.       Rectify any shortcomings at the election of office bearers at the branch level.

Dr Chan, speaking to reporters after chairing the CC  meeting at the party headquarters, said the ROS has given the party the greenlight to hold the TDC.

“The ROS has confirmed that what we (central election committee) did on complaints of irregularities by some branches, were correct. Therefore, we can proceed with the TDC,” he said, adding that the CC, being the second highest after the TDC, has sanctioned the decisions of the election committee on complaints of alleged irregularities.

“The CC was of the (legal) views that the decisions of the CEC were legally right and in line with the party constitution and the Societies Act,” he said.

Dr Chan said the problems cropped up because this was the first time that the party witnessed “contests” at the branch levels.

On threats by Wong, who is also the state Minister of Local Government and Community Development, and his supporters to boycott tomorrow’s TDC, Dr Chan said he hoped that Wong and other party leaders would come.

Wong, in a statement yesterday, had indicated that he and his supporters would boycott the TDC, claiming that the elections at the level were rigged and manipulated.

Wong and party organising secretary Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui had both expressed their intention to take over from Dr Chan as the party’s president.

Chin, the federal Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water, who was present at the press conference with Dr Chan, said:” I am very sad if the boycott threat is carried out by Soon Koh and his supporters.

“He (Wong) has aspired to be president, and he should not boycott the TDC and should consider the party election as a family matter.

“Nobody can ascertain who will be the next president. It is up to the central committee and the central working committee to decide. If the CC and CWC members elect him to be the president, then I will congratulate him, and if I am elected, then he should congratulate me,” Chin said.

He said if Wong decided to boycott the TDC, he would forfeit his right to be the next president.

“The choice is his,” Chin said.

On threat by Wong and his supporters that they would resign en bloc, Dr Chan said it would have some impact on the party.

“But the (elected) seats will remain with the party, and this is the traditions practised by the Barisan Nasional in the past,” he added.

Dr Chan declined to speculate whether Wong and his supporters would form a new party if they carried out the threat to resign from the party.

“Let’s come to that later,” he said. –Sematong Express