(From left) Ranum, Dr Jerip, Wong, Lee, Harden and Rayong together in a file photo.
SIBU: The six SUPP assemblymen, aligned to Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, will await the decision of the Registrar of Societies (ROS) on the fate of the party before deciding on their next course of action.
This was not the time to talk about negotiation as it would go against regulations, they said in a statement yesterday.
“Since the Registrar of Society is now deciding SUPP’s fate, anything done outside this scope by party members will prejudice the Registrar’s efforts,” they added.
The group felt there was a need to clear the air because of concern outside the party over whether the two factions would agree to come to the negotiation table.
The six in Wong’s faction include Datuk Lee Khim Shin, Datuk Francis Harden, Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Ranun Mina and Dr Johnical Rayong.
“We know Chin’s faction has replied to the ROS on why SUPP should not be deregistered. All we can do now is to await the decision of the ROS,” they said.
The group pointed out that there had already been ample time for the two factions to come together and solve the problems affecting party before the ROS acted on complaints of irregularities regarding the branch elections.
They said Wong himself had initiated steps to resolve the problems amicably but these were not accepted by Chin’s faction.
Instead, they pointed out, Chin’s faction had spent time and efforts, looking for ways to weed out members from Wong’s faction and had even gone all out to expel Wong.
“What they should have done then was to seriously look into the election irregularities and rectify them so that negotiations could proceed.”
The six noted there were people now trying to turn the situation around by blaming them for the problems of the party.
“The deregistered branch of Bekenu was under Chin. We had no business in the branch and there was no internal struggle there as well.”
The group narrowed down the deregistration of the Bekenu branch to irregularities found during the branch election in 2011.
They noted after the deregistration of the Bekenu branch, Chin still claimed to be the party chairman.
“As we see it, Chin’s faction is challenging the authority of the ROS and if we go ahead with the negotiation now, it will be a further slap in the face of the ROS.”
The group said SUPP must respect the ROS by allowing his office to decide the party’s fate instead of jeopardising the process.
They reiterated that after the deregistration of the Bekenu branch, all the members had lost their memberships.
But despite this, they said Chin still regarded himself as the party chairman, pointing out that this was an act of disrespect.
The six also said Chin had even chaired the party’s Central Working Committee, trying to expel Wong, and asked: “Is this an action the ROS will tolerate?”
“Therefore, this is not the time to start talking about negotiation. It’s already too late. All we can do now is to await for the decision of the ROS before we decide on our next course of action,” they said.
