More troubles for SUPP’s Chan

Sarawak United People's Party members, peeved with last Friday's turnaround decision by its CWC, have issued president George Chan with an ultimatum.

KUCHING: There’s no end to troubles in Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP).

Party president George Chan was yesterday slapped with a legal letter demanding that he convene a central committee (CC) meeting within two weeks.

The letter dated May 31, which was sent through lawyers Wong, Orlando Chua & Kuek Advocate, stated that if Chan failed to convene the meeting, legal action will be taken against him.

Several SUPP members, including some from the CC, are said to to behind this latest move.

A spokesman for the law firm said the group had appointed them to pursue the matter.

“We are appointed by a group of SUPP party members and CC members to apply for a court order relating to matters pursuant to Articles 23, 25 (9) and 25 (24) of SUPP Constitution & Rules (the constitution).”

“Our clients were furious and disappointed when the central working committee (CWC) on May 27 this year rejected unconstitutionally the requisitions,” the spokesman told a local Chinese daily.

The disgruntled members are peeved that the party’s CWC had rejected a requisition by its 55 CC members to convene a meeting under Article 23 to discuss several motions that were approved during the CWC meeting on April 18 following the party’s dismal performance in the state polls.

The members are of the view that the CWC has no authority to reject the requisition to convene a CC meeting.

They said it was the right of the CC members under Article 23, and branches and sub-branches under Articles 25 (9) and 25 (24) of the constitution to request for the meeting.

CWC not credible

A party source, when contacted, said the decision to issue Chan an ultimatum was based on last Friday’s meeting.

“Members are not happy. Their views are not being heard. There were decisions made during the CWC meeting on April 18 but these have been pushed aside. It is embarrassing.

“The CWC has lost its credibility. We want a CC meeting. We want it now,” said the source, alluding to last Friday’s turnaround by the CWC committee to sanction the appointment of deputy secretary Wong Soon Koh and council member Lee Kim Shin to Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s cabinet.

Both Wong and Lee were the only two Chinese candidates who managed to retain their seats in the April 16 state election. SUPP lost 13 seats in the outing.

Following SUPP’s crash in the polls, the party CWC had met on April 18 and made several decision including one to disallow Wong and Lee from holding positions in the state cabinet.

Both Wong and Lee however defied the decision and took their oath much to the anger of the members.

The CWC’s U-turn on its April 18 decision has just added fuel to fire.

Last Friday, Chan had reportedly said that the “CWC was unanimous in its decision that the two represent the party and the Chinese community in the cabinet”.

“If we are in BN, we must have representatives in the BN government,” Chan had said, adding that the party has agreed to make “sweeping and major” changes at all levels including in branches, youth and women wings.

Members right

Meanwhile, a surprised SUPP treasurer David Teng, when asked about the move, said: “It’s not appropriate to seek legal action to address CC matters.

“Whether to hold a CC meeting is a political issue of the party. It must be solved within the party.”

Teng, however, added that party members were entitled to express their views and make their own decisions.

“I won’t get involved in this matter.

“Members have a right to their own decisions and views on issues of the CC meeting. I will not step in to advise the members,” he said.