Kota Kinabalu High Court Judge Clement Skinner has set Feb 25 for re-mention of a consequential application by the new executive committee (exco) of the Sabah United Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SUCCC) following its failure to wrest control of its secretariat. The exco is led by president-designate Kenneth Yen.

The application is against former SUCCC president Sari Nuar and honorary secretary-general Tan Kim Beng. It follows three failed attempts by the exco last week to take over the secretariat from the cc.

The hand-over was mandated by Skinner in his ruling on Dec 30 last year. Skinner also ruled that the two-year term of Yen and his team, elected in 2002, will run from Dec 30.

The re-mention follows the agreement in court yesterday by the cc to hand over all pertinent documents to the exco at 10 am on Feb 24 at its secretariat. This deadline is reportedly to allow the cc to compile and inventory for the handover.

The documents involved includes all agreements entered between SUCCC and third parties, all letterheads, seals and rubber stamps of the chamber as well as all keys to the SUCCC office in Kampung Air in Kota Kinabalu.

Outgoing executive secretary Su Mei Chun is to deliver all office files, books, accounts, minutes of meetings and all other matters pertaining to SUCCC from 2002 to 2010 to the incoming secretary-general.

Former SUCCC Treasurer-General Lau Kok Sing is to deliver all financial accounts from 2002 to 2010, bank statements and cheque books to his successor Chris Chang Kiaw Ngiap.

Lawyer Douglas Primus, for Sari and Tan, also told the court that the cc will hand over all items concerning the day-today running of the secretariat to the elected office bearers in the exco at 10 am tomorrow or at a time to be mutually agreed.

“But all items are to remain at the secretariat office,” said Primus in raising his client’s request with Skinner. “These items are to be verified by both the outgoing cc and the incoming exco.”

The items include payment vouchers from Jan 1, 2009 onwards, petty cash in hand, pre-signed cheques, bank statements from Jan 1, 2009 and all relevant correspondence files.

It is believed that the cc caved in after the Semporna Chinese Chamber of Commerce (SCCC) did an about turn last weekend and declared that it would respect the Dec 30 ruling by the High Court.

SCCC chairman Gan Sau Wah issued a statement to the media that his chapter was withdrawing from the appeal process contemplated by the cc.

“The case for nearly eight years has caused wastage of precious time, energy and money and unaccountable losses to the SUCCC,” said Gan who had stood by Sari over the years.. “It had also inflicted damage to SUCCC’s reputation, image, dignity and its position in society.”

Gan’s statement was followed by reports that other chapters of the SUCCC mulling similar declarations. At the Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce (KKCCC), secretary-general Lim Kiat Kong informed yen that he was quitting his post immediately.

Yen meanwhile is extending an olive branch to the Sari faction. He has declared that his faction would consider dropping heir successful claims for court expenses, costs, and general, aggravated and exemplary damages. So far, there has been no indication in public that Sari has agreed to accept the olive branch.

Yen is also making the rounds of the various chapters of SUCCC to ensure that he will have a quorum when he calls his maiden meeting soon after the planned takeover of the secretariat. So far, he has visited Tenom, Keningau and Tawau to drum up support and mend fences.

“We are wiling to sit down and talk with any party who is sincere in wanting to resolve the long-running issue of the leadership of SUCCC,” said Yen when contacted. “So far we have positive feedback from all the chapters who want to see the SUCCC tussle brought to a close.”

All eyes within SUCCC will be on the partial handover planned for sometime tomorrow. If it does not materialize or is further delayed, it is by no means certain that the self-imposed Feb 24 deadline by the cc will be met. In that case, all parties will be before Skinner again on Feb 25 to await their fate in this long-running saga in and out of court.