Soon Koh challenges party president to make stand

 

by Peter Sibon, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on February 8, 2012, Wednesday

KUCHING: SUPP Sibu Branch chairman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh is challenging party president Datuk Seri Peter Chin to make a stand on alleged irregularities in various branches, especially in Pending, before the Triennial Delegates’ Conference (TDC) was held last year.

He alleged that the Pending branch’s election was undemocratic as the ballot papers were printed in Mandarin.

Wong said that as a result, many Bumiputera members as well as those who could not understand Mandarin were not able to cast their votes to elect the branch chairman.

The branch subsequently elected Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian as its branch chairman who was also elected as the party’s secretary general at the TDC.

“It was an outrageous act to undermine the proper democratic process to take place.

“The party president has to explain to party members these irregularities and also those in other branches. As the president he has an obligation to make a stand on the issue,” Wong said yesterday.

Wong added that Chin’s explanation on the irregularities was important to prevent the party from getting into trouble with the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

Wong, who is also Minister of Local Council and Community Development, said irregularities in the party had to be cleared before the party could forge ahead.

He said that due to irregularities in the Pending branch election, the legality of the election result was questioned.

On a related issue, Wong, who is also Bawang Assan assemblyman, said it was wrong for SUPP leadership to question their political affiliation as he and those in his group were still very much SUPP members.

“As far as we are concerned we are still very much SUPP elected representatives and we will continue to carry on with our duties until the ROS’ finding is made known.”

ROS state director Ken Leben, meanwhile, has said that so far there was still no result on the findings of the complaints of the various irregularities in SUPP.

Wong was confident that the party could still forge ahead as a united party after the ROS has come up with its findings.

Among elected representatives in Wong’s group are Lanang MP Datuk Tiong Thai King, Simanggang assemblyman Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, Engkilili assemblyman Dr Johnical Rayong Ngipa, Bengoh assemblyman Dr Jerip Susil and Opar assemblyman Ranum Mina.