Yong returns unopposed as SAPP president

 

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee (pic) has been returned unopposed as president of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) which he formed some 28 years ago.

This is after no one challenged the 64-year-old former Sabah chief minister for the post for the party elections scheduled for September.

SAPP secretary-general Datuk Richard Yong We Kong said Yong had retained the post unopposed when nominations closed on Saturday (Aug 20).

He said the party’s elections committee would be making the announcement on its polls, number of candidates for each post and the election calendar soon.

“SAPP will hold its Congress at the Sabah International Convention Centre on Sept 3. This would be followed by the party’s quadrennial election in the afternoon.

“A total of 1600 members, including 250 Undi 18 members, and delegates are expected to attend the one-day event,” he said at the party’s supreme council meeting on Sunday (Aug 21).

We Kong said among those expected to attend were 402 delegates comprising 29 members of the supreme council, 40 members from the Youth and Women wings, and 355 representatives from branches throughout Sabah.

He said the delegates would speak on political issues such as Sabah IC, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), ownership and management of Sabah's natural resources.

SAPP pulled out from Barisan Nasional in September 2008 after announcing that it would file a motion of no confidence in the Dewan Rakyat against then prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, calling him to resign from his post.

After 12 years sitting in the Opposition bench, SAPP joined Perikatan Nasional as a component party prior to the Sabah election in 2020.

SAPP is also part of the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition which is led by the Sabah chapter of Parti Pribumi Malaysia Bersatu.

Other parties in GRS are Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah STAR and the United Sabah National Organisation (Usno). - Star