Snap president lost moral ground to lead, says rebel leader
Sarawak National Party (Snap) rebel group leader William Mawan Ikom declared today that party president James Wong Kim Min has lost "moral ground" to stay on in his post after the majority in the party wants him to step down.
Earlier this week, Snap secretary-general Justine Jinggut, who was appointed to the post by the president and is closely linked to Wong, issued a statement saying that only the party's national council could remove Wong as president.
He added that holding an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) as demanded by the rebel group to remove the president elected by the national council, would be unconstitutional.
Mawan, one of the party's seven elected vice-presidents and the state minister for environment and public health — and the man his group wants to take over from Wong — said it is not longer an issue of whether the move to oust Wong was legal or not, but rather one of moral authority since the president has effectively lost majority support within the party.
At last week's gathering in Sibu, representatives of 48 of the 62 branches passed a resolution urging Wong and his deputy Peter Tinggom to step down and give way to the party's younger blood.
Wong, who is still on medical treatment in Australia, when contacted by malaysiakini , refused to comment on the call to quit. He said he would only respond on his return to the state, expected in a week or two.
Private meeting
His eldest son, Richard Wong, the only state assemblyman from the party still supporting him and the party's senior vice-president — and anointed by his father to succeed him — said Mawan as a party leader was entitled to his opinion.
"He was exercising the right of free speech," he said when approached by reporters.
Asked what advice the chief minister Taib Mahmud gave when he met the Sarawak Barisan Nasional chief for a private meeting in the state assembly building this afternoon, Mawan said it had nothing to do with the on-going crisis within Snap.
"The meeting discussed how I could perform my role as minister better," he added.
Malaysiakini however understands that Mawan sought advice concerning a bankruptcy suit that had been filed against him for not settling debts amounting to RM180,000.
Sources said efforts were being made by Mawan to have the matter settled otherwise it would affect his position both in the party and government.
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