Bintulu MPs controversial expulsion constitutional: Snap
Sarawak National Party (Snap) today maintained that its central executive committee (CEC) had acted constitutionally with the required two-third majority in the controversial expulsion of the party's former treasurer-general and member of parliament for Bintulu, Tiong King Sing.
Responding to questions raised by a rebel group lead by vice-president William Mawan, Snap secretary-general Justine Jinggut said: "To put the record straight, at the April 20, 2002 CEC meeting, 20, repeat 20, duly constituted [either elected or appointed/nominated] members were present.
"The presence of the three other members, though having been appointed, were not counted in the voting process as they had still not returned their respective letters of acceptance of their appointment by the president. As such, they were mere observers at the meeting."
Earlier, Justine confirmed that although the last triennial general meeting in 2000 already endorsed a proposed amendment to the party constitution raising the number of appointed members from five to eight (not seven as stated yesterday by the Mawan group), approval for this amendment had not been received from the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
Justine stressed that there should be no basis for questioning the legality of the CEC's action in expelling Tiong.
"The party is conscious that a decision on expulsion requires a two-third majority of the CEC members present and voting.
"After the seven YBs [Yang Berhormat] decided not to participate in the decision-making process for reasons best known to them, there were still 12 eligible voting members present at the meeting. They voted unanimously for the expulsion of Tiong."
At the controversial April 20 CEC, the rebel group led by Mawan walked out from the meeting before the vote to expel Tiong.
Inexplicable inclination
The Snap secretary-general found it amusing in what he called the inexplicable inclination of the party vice-president Mawan, a state minister, and vice-president and youth leader Dr Judson Tagal, an assistant state minister, to brand the April 20 CEC meeting as unconstitutional.
Justine was apparently referring to a headline story in a local English language daily, The Sarawak Tribune , quoting Mawan as saying the CEC meeting was unconstitutional.
(Reporters who attended the media conference on Friday, however, could not recall the Snap vice-president ever saying that, although he and his colleagues did question the legality of the appointment of additional CEC members by the president).
Justine accused both Mawan and Judson of acting in a manner in the past weeks as if they were out to disrupt the smooth functioning of the party.
Both Mawan and Judson have called on aging party president James Wong Kim Min to step down.
"Such an act will not only affect Snap but also the stability of the Barisan Nasional at large," he lamented.
"Whether the ROS has approved our constitutional amendment is not an issue and it should not be used as a springboard for them to embarrass and disrupt the running of the party, especially when it involves a misperception of events," he said.
On the holding of the party's triennial general assembly, Justine said the CEC would make a decision at the appropriate time.
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