The besieged Sarawak National Party (Snap) member of parliament for Bintulu, Tiong King Sing, is fighting back against possible expulsion from the party by threatening that thousands of party members would follow him should he be kicked out.

About two months ago, the party's secretary-general Justine Jinggut, following a central executive committee's decision, issued a show-cause letter to Tiong on why action should not be taken against him for alleged indiscipline and for working against the party's interest.

Ahead of next week's CEC meeting to discuss his reply to the show-cause letter, Tiong's supporters If Dato' Sri Tiong King Sing is no more MP, we will all follow you, Dato' Sri Tiong King Sing must stay with us. We need you and love you, and Justine Jinggut must resign from (post of) secretary-general of Snap.

Snap Kiduring division Youth chairman Thomas Ng was quoted in the local newspapers today as saying that he was baffled that the party's secretary-general had issued the show-cause letter to Tiong without going to the ground to check with the grassroots on the actual situation.

It appears that the secretary-general had decided on his own to issue the show-cause letter and ignoring the rights of the members here to know the allegations made against our leader (Tiong).

Ng also criticised the secretary-general for making the issue of the show-cause letter public, saying this was not in accordance with what he described as the party's family spirit.

We've always tried to promote unity and harmony in the party while adopting a good system in the party to relay decisions with transparency, which the secretary-general had failed to utilise, he was also quoted as saying.

Election promise

Last week, Tiong told the media he believed the allegations against him had something to do with promises made during the last parliamentary elections to bring TV3 coverage to Bintulu, a city located in central Sarawak region.

He was alleged to have made the promise, which he subsequently denied, that he would personally help to finance the construction cost of the RM4.5 million TV3 transmission station in Bintulu.

A contractor had since started work on the construction of the transmission station and when no payment had been received, the contractor sued Snap, something which had infuriated the party leadership.

Contacted today, Justine Jinggut said linking the allegations of indiscipline to the TV3 project was merely speculation.

In due course we'll reveal the exact nature of the allegations, the Snap secretary-general said, adding that when he issued the show-cause letter to Tiong he was merely relaying the decision of the CEC.

There's nothing personal in this, Justine told malaysiakini .

The decision was made by the CEC, he said, adding that some party members in Bintulu were only being too presumptuous when they said they would follow Tiong out of the party if he was expelled from the party.

We've not come to that yet. The question does not arise. He has not been expelled.

Timber tycoon

Justine said the CEC would meet next week to discuss Tiong's reply to the show-cause letter and assured that Tiong would be given a fair hearing.

Tiong, a wealthy timber towkay said to be a relative of well-known Sarawak corporate figure Ting Pek Khiing, became a member of Snap in 1998 and was made the party's treasurer-general, a post which he has served for only one term.

He was chosen in the last parliamentary elections as the Barisan Nasional candidate for Bintulu and won in a straight fight against the opposition DAP's Chiew Chin Sing.

Sarawaks Snap at odds with its Bintulu MP over botched election promise