KUCHING: SUPP Bengoh branch yesterday criticised Tan Sri Peter Chin for maintaining he is the legitimate party president.
A statement prepared by branch secretary Pemanca Liu Thian Leong, said such insistence showed Chin was putting his personal interests first.
“Not only has he failed to salvage the party but he still maintains he is a legit president without showing any remorse. We seriously suspect this is not the kind of leader we should expect to lift SUPP out of a crisis.
“We hope to see a leader who is able to see his own mistakes, assume full responsibility for his actions and put the party above everything else,” said the statement issued during a luncheon here.
The branch also asked incapable party leaders to step down as it believes strong leadership was needed to revive SUPP.
It recalled the Registrar of Societies (ROS) had been in touch with the party for almost two years to try and resolve internal conflicts but the SUPP central leadership had wasted the chance and (instead) gone on to set up an independent disciplinary committee to get rid of dissidents.
“Clearly, the leadership wants to axe opponents to pave way for the coming party election as well as state election. We are all against such a selfish act,” the statement said.
It called on the central leadership to let bygones be bygones and set aside personal differences and interests to join forces with all members in salvaging the party.
According to the statement, the SUPP central leadership had intentionally sacked a couple of key leaders right before the ROS show-cause letter came to light.
It said what the central leadership had done was uncalled for, adding that party leaders should seek reconciliation to bring SUPP out of its present crisis.
“Their thinking and approach is totally unexpected. We are extremely disappointed with their stand.”