For those living outside Sibu, Dudong is possibly of no significance. But to politicians, particularly the Foochow leaders in Supp, Dudong is as important as Sibu - their political bastion since Independence.

Therein lies the latest round of open salvos among the now-quarrelsome leaders of Supp - two groups want to control Dudong branch and they had both set up pro tem committees of the branch.

One pro tem committee set up is headed by Lanang MP Tiong Thai King with the approval of the Sibu branch which is led by state minister and party deputy secretary-general Wong Soon Koh

The other pro tem committee was set up by Dudong state assemblyperson Dr Soon Choon Teck and has the support of party president and Deputy Chief Minister Dr George Chan.

Dudong is a state constituency within the Lanang parliamentary area and both are Supp strongholds.

The announcement on the pro tem committees was made separately in Sibu yesterday. Wong was also present at the press conference called by Tiong to announce his line-up ( photo ).

The Lanang MP told reporters he would submit the list of office-bearers of the Dudong branch to the central leadership as well as to the Registrar of Societies.

The latest developments are part of the on-going leadership struggle between a faction led by Dr Chan and another faction led by Wong.

The majority of the Sibu branch leaders and members are behind Wong and his group. They include the branch's deputy chairperson and Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Robert Lau.

Will not be cowed

Soon who is favoured by the party central committee members loyal to the party president is only supported by a minority group in the Sibu division.

He told reporters yesterday that he was merely carrying out the instructions of the party central working committee to set up the pro tem committee with him as chairperson.

Meanwhile, Bernama quoted him as saying that "the feeling is each incumbent assemblymen should be the chairmen of their own branch. This is practised by the state BN anchor party the Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) where all its 35 assemblymen are branch chairmen."

He said two other component parties, SPDP and PRS were doing the same thing.

"So being the state assemblyman for Dudong, I feel I should be appointed the chairman. There is nothing special about this."

Soon said he would not be cowed by the very formidable forces against him.

"If some people are not happy about this, then they can bring up the matter with the central leadership. But I hope they will not ostracise us. If they do......well, never mind we have our own branch to deal with."

"But I do hope they will not do so. We have all got to work together for the benefit of the town, the state's central region and the people although we may have some differences," said Soon.