Snap president may get injunction to stop meeting called by rebels

comments     Tony Thien     Published     Updated

Sarawak National Party (Snap) president James Wong Kim Min is consulting lawyers on filing an injunction to stop dissidents within the party from going ahead with the national council meeting scheduled for June 9.

The rebel faction led by party deputy president Peter Tinggom had earlier this week called their own central executive committee meeting, attended by eight CEC members, and set June 9 for the meeting of the party's highest policy-making body "to discuss urgent matters" and "to resolve the party crisis once and for all".

Malaysiakini understands that Wong, through his brother-in-law and CEC member former Senator Michael Bong Thiam Joon, has already requested the party's lawyers to file an injunction to stop the national council meeting which is likely to take place in Kuching.

However, it is understood that the lawyer is still studying the provisions of the Societies Act as to whether party members can be brought to court.

Meanwhile, Wong, 80, has already called for a CEC meeting scheduled for June 12, three days before his expected return from Australia where he has been recuperating after a successful kneecap operation.

The rebel group, comprising all but one of the party's nine elected representatives, has been clamouring for Wong to step down as president and to be succeeded by vice-president and local Environment and Public Health Minister William Mawan.

They have also called for secretary-general Justine Jinggut, appointed by Wong, to be removed from his post because of what they claim as poor party administration that has led to a lot of troubles within the party.

The two opposing camps are expected to take a respite over the next few days because of the Gawai Dayak celebrations.

Vitriolic attacks

Meanwhile, Bong in a signed statement said he was "greatly perturbed" by what he described as the turn of events within the party in the recent weeks, in particular, the public statements and vitriolic attacks on the party president.

He said in the statement, "I am, therefore, compelled to issue this press statement in order to address the growing concerns among the vast membership of Snap arising from the series of public statements, speeches at gatherings and some unexpected conduct of our party YBs (elected representatives) that could have put the party in a state of ill-repute, odium and contempt before the very eyes of our members and the general public."

He added: "Unless a stop is put to all this, the consequence would be to subject the party to further ridicule, to undermining public respect and support, and to render irreparable harm to Snap."

Bong said political organisations do have problems from time to time and Snap is no exception, "but there are always proper forums and avenues to air and address our problems, and at all times there ought to be civility as well as mutual respect among our party members and leaders".

Unfortunately, he said, rules and conventions appeared to have all been conveniently set aside and that "mutual respect" is now not duly accorded by the very people who have pledged their observance and adherence when joining the party.

Dangerous precedent

Bong said the rival group had set the most dangerous precedent within Snap and the BN in calling for a CEC meeting without first seeking the approval or consent of the elected president.

Wong had said in an earlier statement that this is clearly a deliberate usurpation of the powers and authority of the president as explicitly provided for under the party constitution.

"It is a violation of both the letter and spirit of the constitution and is interpreted as an act of bad faith. The implications arising from the recent actions of the YBs are most serious not only in the context of Snap but also the BN," he pointed out.

Bong said since the party president has called for a CEC meeting on June 12, and that he will be returning home from Australia to chair the meeting, that will be the "most appropriate forum for any member of the CEC to air grievances, issues and problems, if any".

"Like all mature leaders, all members of CEC should attend this meeting," he said.



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