Show-cause letter, branches’ deregistration confirmed; party appealing to ROS
Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian
KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) secretarygeneral Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian yesterday confirmed receiving a show-cause letter addressed to the party central leadership and two letters to deregister Bekenu and Piasau branches from the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
He said the state Registrar of Societies, Ken Leben, who represented ROS Kuala Lumpur, handed over the letters to him yesterday morning.
“The show-cause letter dated Jan 6 was issued under Section 13(2) of the Societies Act 1966, which requires the party to submit to ROS in Kuala Lumpur the reason or reasons the registration of SUPP should not be cancelled.
“(State ROS) director Ken Leben also handed me two letters addressed to the secretary of Bekenu and Piasau branches with copies to the chairman and treasurer of the two branches concerned. In essence, these letters were to convey that ROS Kuala Lumpur could not accept the replies to the show-cause letters issued to the said branches on June 6, 2013.
“And therefore, the ROS has decided to cancel the registration of Bekenu and Piasau branches with effect from the date the said letters were issued, which is Jan 6, 2014,” he said in a press statement here yesterday.
Dr Sim said former chairmen of Bekenu and Piasau branches,Tan Sri Peter Chin and Datuk Sebastian Ting were trying to salvage the two branches.
“As secretary-general of the party and on behalf of the party’s central leadership, I assure all SUPP members attached to the former Bekenu and Piasau branches to remain calm and exercise tolerance, patience and understanding during this difficult period.
“All efforts are being made by the former chairmen and their teams of the affected branches concerned to ensure all necessary actions and procedures are duly complied in submitting appeals as required under the Societies Act.”
He also informed that all memberships of former Bekenu and Piasau branches remained valid and attached directly with SUPP party central.
“From now onwards, all activities related to members of these former SUPP branches will be directly dealt with by the party central.”
On the show-cause letter to the party central leadership, Dr Sim said the party would do whatever it would take to comply with the requirements of the letter and the Societies Act.
He assured all SUPP members that the party central leadership together with other senior leaders would strive to preserve the legal status of the party.
“Therefore, on behalf of the central committee (CC) and central working committee (CWC), I want to appeal for calm, tolerance, patience and understanding from all members during this difficult period of our party’s colourful history.
“We have faced adversity before and we have overcome them. I am confident that we can face this one with courage and determination to overcome the challenge.”