Taib to Snap factions: Back down and compromise

comments     Tony Thien     Published     Updated

Sarawak Barisan Nasional chairperson and Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has for the first time publicly stated his stand on the on-going leadership tussle within the troubled Sarawak National Party (Snap) he wants both sides to back down and compromise "in the interest of the party and BN."

He made the remarks in Marudi town, Baram in northern Sarawak on Saturday when he declared open and attended the revival of the famed Baram Regatta.

Local newspapers today widely reported Taib's remarks, made a day after the suspension of Snap Youth chief and assistant minister of infrastructure development and communications Dr Judson Sakai Tagal by the Snap central executive committee (CEC) "for multiple breaches of the party's constitution."

The CEC meeting chaired by embattled Snap president the 80-year-old James Wong Kim Min, a former state minister and one of Malaysia's longest-serving politicians, also asked Taib to remove Judson from his assistant minister's post.

Taib, however, indicated that he had no intention of doing that, saying "Judson is still assistant minister until I decide otherwise." But he made it clear that any intention on his part was not to try and worsen the situation within Snap.

Love for party

He was quoted by Sarawak's leading English-language daily The Sunday Tribune as saying: '"I certainly will not want to pour oil into fire. I hope both sides in the dispute still have love for the party so they can come together and resolve their differences to show the ordinary members that the leaders are working for the unity of the party."

He added that he would like to see the stand-off in Snap resolved by the leaders and members of the party themselves.

Taib hoped he did not have to force himself to intervene to prevent an escalation of the crisis within Snap.

"I hope it will not have to come to that," he was quoted as saying.

Taib said the crisis should not drag on indefinitely as he expected the parliamentary elections to be held soon.

Another English-language local daily The Borneo Post in its Sunday edition reported the chief minister as saying that "I won't have the luxury to let it drag on as it is now, and we have to ready ourselves for the parliamentary elections and work for the solidarity of the Barisan Nasional".

"This is my duty and also that of all the Barisan Nasional leaders," he said.

Further fracture party

Taib's latest comments appear to indicate some hope for the embattled Wong faction which have always wanted the other side led by suspended Snap deputy president Peter Tinggom, the member of parliament for Saratok and a former deputy federal minsiter, to sit down and talk to resolve the dispute over the party leadership.

There has been no immediate reaction from Tinggom to the state BN chief's comments. But William Mawan, another senior party leader and the minister of environment and public health, said the move to suspend Judson would further fracture the party.

He was quoted by the Sunday Tribune as saying: "While we acknowledge the party has yet to resolve its present crisis, it is unfortunate the CEC has decided to take such a drastic action."

"This action will set the two groups further apart, hence moving further away from the desired solution," added Mawan, the man thought most likely to take over as the next president of SNAP.

Although Wong himself has now said publicly he would not step down as party chief till his last breath, Mawan added some sarcasm to that by saying " I think God will show him the way...."

Wong had in a recent interview with local tabloid The Malaysian Today that he had not be able to find "a suitable successor" to replace him, so he would carry on as Snap president. "I can't quit and will not quit until God tells me to do so," he had been quoted as saying.

Crisis escalating

After almost four months, with signs of the crisis escalating with the pending extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) that the Tinggom group is going to hold on August 11 to appoint a new party president, the on-going crisis is still on the front-page news in local newspapers as well as a piece of everyday conversation in offices and coffee-shops.

"I am ashamed everytime I read the newspapers to see something about Snap quarrelling," Snap secretary general Justine Jinggut told reporters recently.

Most political analysts agree that if Taib's latest advice that both sides in the dispute should back down and compromise is not heeded it could spell greater trouble for Snap, especially with parliamentary elections expected to be around the corner.

Snap has four members of parliament, and if the crisis is still not resolved by then, chances are the top BN leadership will have to intervene and decide even on the final line-up of the candidates.

In fact, according to informed sources, this is one of the moot points in the dispute, with the Tinggom group having got word that Wong has in fact been intending to remove the present MPs and replacing them with new candidates.

Taib as BN chairman and chief minister may not agree with the choices and the Snap leadership may be forced to accept other recommendations. There is already indication even within the Wong camp that they may be losing the fight eventually.

Snap secretary general Justine Jinggut, who is appointed to the post by Wong and is one of the principal targets of the Tinggom faction, indicated as much during a press conference on Friday when he said the job is not an easy one and that if there is a new man to take over, he will stand aside.

Justine, a former member of parliament for Ulu Rajang, is said to have been harbouring hopes of making a come-back to elected office . He failed to get nominated by the BN last year when at the last minute his name was dropped in favour of the Snap incumbent {the late) Geman Itam in Meluan. SNAP lost the seat to an Independent Wong Judat, a successful Iban businessman.

Incumbents replaced

Talk is that the Wong faction also wants to have federal deputy minister of family affairs and community development Dr Tiki Lafe replaced as the member of parliament for Mas Gasing with another Bidayuh Frankie Nyumboi, a former director of the Sarawak customs and excise department, as well as the member of parliament for Bintulu Tiong King Sing with a Snap veteran.

Lately, former Bintulu MP Ting Ling Kiew has re-appeared and he has been making press statements on the Snap crisis to the Chinese press, calling himself as a special assistant to James Wong, the Snap president. He even attended Friday's CEC meeting.

There is also talk that the Wong faction already has in mind a new man to take over the MP seat in Saratok from Peter Tinggom as well as a university lecturer to take over the MP seat for Baram from former agricultural officer Jacob Sagan.

In the end, if no solution to the crisis is in sight with parliamentary elections around the corner, a considerably weakened SNAP may find itself disadvantaged in more ways than one including the loss of rights to even suggest candidates, leaving that onerous task to the top BN leadership to decide.

Malaysiankini has spoken to several of Tinggom faction leaders and they have said they are aware of the Wong faction's agenda, which is why the fight is going on so bitterly. Only the chief minister has indicated to some extent where the problem lies and how it may eventually be resolved.


TONY THIEN is malaysiakini correspondent in Kuching.



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