Tinggom faction invites rival leaders to Snap EGM

comments     Tony Thien     Published     Updated

Sarawak National Party (Snap) vice-president William Mawan has invited beleaguered president James Wong Kim Min and his men to attend the Aug 11 party extraordinary general meeting in Kuching to "say what they want to say".

"They can verify for themselves the legal status of the meeting. If they have anything to say, they can voice it out," he said.

Mawan said the president and his men should attend the EGM so that both factions can express their views to the members as the debate has been confined to the media alone.

"In my view, the sooner the problem is resolved, the better it is for the Barisan Nasional and there cannot be more time lost on the matter," he added.

The EGM was called by Wong's rival, deputy president Peter Tinggom and all but one of the party's elected representatives, to elect a new president and senior vice-president.

This follows the motions of censure against Wong, whom The Sarawak Tribune described as the 'past' president, senior vice-president Richard Wong, secretary-general Justine Jinggut and assistant secretary-general Stanley Juggol at the party's recent national council meeting.

The president's faction has labelled the national council meeting and the upcoming EGM as unconstitutional.

Good response

The Sarawak Tribune reported today that "it is all systems go" for the EGM which will be held at the Regency Rajah Court Hotel.

The daily quoted acting secretary-general Dr Judson Sakai Tagal, who is aligned to the deputy president's faction, as saying the notice for the meet has been published in local newspapers.

He added that notices were also sent to all members, including the four who were censured at the national council meeting.

Judson also said his group have gone to the ground in order to explain to members the need for the EGM and " they understand why it will be held".

'The response has been very good and more than 50 out of the 62 divisions have responded and will attend," said Judson who is also the state assistant minister for infrastructure development and communications.

He said his group will also release further notices on the EGM in local and national newspapers.

Natural process

Responding to the president's charge that the Tinggom faction is power-crazy, he said: "An EGM is a natural process used to handle any crisis in the party as provided for in the party's constitution.

"We are only using the party's constitutional process. It is only right and constitutionally proper for us to turn to the members to decide on the next course of action needed to resolve the crisis. There is no need [for anyone] to wrest power [from others].

"The only reason we decided to hold the EGM is to put the party back on its right footing and as far as we are concerned, we want Snap to be a worthy partner in Barisan Nasional and bring political stability and peace to Sarawak and Malaysia,'' he said.

Meanwhile, pundits are placing their money on Mawan to be elected as the new president with or without the current president's consent.



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