The internal crisis plaguing the Sarawak National Party (Snap) took another twist today when embattled president James Wong Kim Min and secretary-general Justine Jinggut obtained a court order to stop this Sunday's national council meeting called by their rival, deputy president Peter Tinggom.

The pair successfully applied for an injunction from the Kuching High Court which restrains Tinggom and seven others, including vice-president William Mawan, from convening and presiding over the meeting until the hearing, which begins on June 26, is concluded.

The injunction was granted in chambers by judicial commissioner Zakaria Sam this morning following an ex-parte application made by the plaintiffs' lawyers, Albert Tang and Colin Jarraw.

"In essence, from a legal perspective, the issue is that the deputy president purported to act for the president and carried out certain actions in the president's absence," Tang told malaysiakini .

The plaintiffs also obtained an order to prevent the eight from issuing press statements on party affairs as the party constitution empowers only the president and secretary-general to do so.

According to Tang, the court order was already served on Mawan this afternoon.

Mawan, who is also the state's minister of environment and public health, told reporters later that his group would abide by the court order.

Supporters angry

However, several of Tinggom's supporters were angered by the court order and said the president should allow the national council meeting — the party's highest decision-making body — to proceed to allow members the chance to discuss the leadership squabble.

While his legal counsel was arguing the case before the judicial commissioner, Wong was at the Snap headquarters chairing a central executive committee meeting, attended by 13 of the 21 CEC members.

Among those who attended were the five appointed CEC members.

Despite receiving notice of the meeting — which is held eight days earlier than originally scheduled &8212 the eight rebel leaders chose to boycott it.

The dissidents claimed that the CEC's constitution was not legal because it included members whose appointment, they claimed, did not follow the party constitution.

In a three-page press statement released later, Wong said the gathering of party members in Sibu (May 4) and Miri (May 8) as well as the May 29 CEC meeting called by Tinggom were unlawful.

He stressed that at all times he was able to fulfill his duties and responsibilities as president of the party.

"Therefore, I am totally surprised and shocked by the deputy president attempting to usurp my constitutional rights as president. Such a conduct on the part of Tinggom is unconstitutional, improper, illegal and baseless."

The 80-year-old president returned home yesterday after spending more than a month in Australia where he had a knee surgery.

Police report

Wong also took a swipe at the rival faction for breaking into the party headquarters on May 29 to hold the CEC meeting and described their action as "most uncalled for".

On the national council meeting called by his detractors, the president said the meeting should not proceed because it was not legal.

He warned that action will be taken against any member who attends the meeting and added that a police report had also been lodged regarding the matter.

"Until the holding of the national council meeting, or the triennial general assembly, the CEC is supreme," he said.

Wong added that it was his prerogative as president under the constitution to appoint principal office bearers and CEC members.

Today's CEC meeting gave the president the mandate to take action against party members who act against the interest of the party.

Asked what action would be taken against Tinggom and his men since the president claimed that they had violated the party constitution, Wong replied: "I leave that to their conscience."

On the claim that the president and his faction were sheltering under the party constitution despite losing support among the elected representatives and a majority of party divisions, secretary-general Jinggut said: "We are safeguarding the sanctity of the party constitution."

"Politicians like me come and go but the party must have rules that must be followed," he stressed.

On the same note, Wong said he had helped to bring in all the party's elected representatives and worked hard to campaign for them in the last election.

"Why are they doing all this now?" he lamented.

Reconciliation possibility

To another question, the president said he was always available if the dissenting group wanted to talk.

"But don't expect me to take the initiative. They started the whole thing in the first place," he added.

However, Mawan brushed aside questions on a possible reconciliation.

Malaysiakini understands that the agenda for the aborted national council meeting, signed by Tinggom, contained only a single sentence which read, "To debate the current crisis in Snap".

Sources said the Tinggom-Mawan group wanted to move resolutions at the national council meeting to expel both the president and secretary-general.

However, observers said today's injunction rattled the dissenting group who were rather confident that the High Court would not stop the meeting.

Some 80 members were expected to attend this Sunday's meeting.

According to Snap vice-president and Youth leader Dr Judson Tagal, some of them are already in Kuching and the rest are expected to arrive tomorrow.

The rival faction claims to have the support of at least 52 of the party's 62 statewide divisions.