SUPP's fate now lies with ROS, says Soon Koh

Kuching (Jan 5, 2012):  The fate of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) is in the hand of the Registrar of Societies (ROS), now that its officers have collected “evidences” of irregularities and manipulations in the branch elections, former deputy secretary-general Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh said today.

“They (ROS) officers have come to the ground to gather evidence of irregularities and manipulations from branches which lodged the complaints,” he told reporters after handing over RM200,000 state government grants to Chinese Primary School Board of Management and Chinese Associations here.

“We are waiting for the ROS to make whatever decisions,” Wong, who is also the State Minister of Local Government and Community Development, said.

“I am sure that they (ROS officials) will be very professional in making the decision,” he said, adding that he had not communicated with the ROS on the complaints.

Wong and his supporters lodged complaints with the ROS as they suspected that the branch elections were being rigged and manipulated before the triennial delegates conference (TDC) was held early last month.

They also boycotted the TDC which elected Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui as the new party president after former Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam stepped down.

Wong said he had not spoken to Chin after the TDC.

“We have not contacted each other in the efforts to solve the internal problems in the party,” he said.

On a statement by party’s deputy president Datuk Richard Riot that he was willing to step down from the post to enable another person to take over, if such action would help to resolve the problems, Wong said:” I don’t want to make any comment on that.

“In any case, it is too premature for Riot to make such a statement,” he said, adding that he did not think that Riot’s stepping down would help to resolve the problems.

Riot, who is also the Deputy Foreign Minister, said that he had no qualms about giving up his party post if such move would bring about reconciliation among the warring leaders.

Expressing his concern that the internal squabble would weaken the party, he said it was his wish to see that the party was united again.

“We need to be united in view of the impending general election which the prime minister may call anytime,” he said.

“It would be hard for SUPP to retain its parliamentary seats of the leaders are quarrelling,” he said. Sematong Express