Wong, not Sarawak CM, to blame for Snap woes

comments     Tony Thien     Published     Updated

The Youth wing of the Sarawak National Party headed by its newly-elected president William Mawan said today the party's 'ex-president' James Wong Kim Min had only himself to blame for prolonging the crisis in the troubled Snap.

In a six-paragraph statement issued by its publicity chief, Simon Ong, the Youth wing described Wong's call for immediate Registrar of Societies' intervention to resolve the party's squabble between the two feuding factions as "most irresponsible of him as a leader".

Wong was also reported to have blamed Sarawak Barisan Nasional chief Abdul Taib Mahmud, who is also the chief minister, for the party's woes.

"All this while he has been referring to the major crisis (brewing) in the party as merely 'a storm in the tea cup.' He prefers to 'sweep the dust under the carpet' rather than face the problem head on.

"Time and time there were calls (on him) to solve the problems in the party from within but he prefers to avoid the actual issue and always harped on minor issues," added Ong.

"Two weeks ago, he [Wong] asked the ROS [Registrar of Societies] for six months to resolve the problems within Snap. [But] the ROS has consented only to extend by one month up to Sept 2 for him to settle the problem [yet] he is calling for an immediate intervention now."

Ong said the steps taken by the anti-Wong Group of Eight including rebel leaders Peter Tinggom, William Mawan and Dr Judson Tagal were heading towards a solution through consultation with party members.

"At that time Wong and his group were creating more incidents ... by sacking and suspending other leaders not aligned to him. The problems of the party could have been solved earlier if he had heeded the call of the Group of Eight," he said.

Outside parties

Ong also criticised Wong of trying to involve outside parties in resolving Snap's problems and, worse, of trying to blame the chief minister for his present fate.

"He should have some respect for our leaders. Wong should blame himself and his advisors and no-one else in prolonging the Snap saga."

The Youth wing added: "Now that William Mawan has been elected president by members throughout Sarawak, it is time for him to respect the members' wishes. Those present at the June 23 national council meeting and the Aug 11 extraordinary general assembly meeting (EGM) represent the majority of Snap members throughout Sarawak.

"He (Wong) should not blame anyone now for his own misdeeds," Ong added.

In an interview in Kuala Lumpur with national news agency Bernama yesterday, Wong described the move by Sunday's EGM to have him replaced as president by Mawan one of the party's vice presidents and state minister of environment and public health as a coup staged by rebel party leaders.

He said only delegates at the party's triennial general meeting could elect office-bearers and not at an extraordinary general meeting. He described the action on Sunday by his detractors as unlawful an unconstitutional.

Wong also blamed Taib in his capacity as both chairman of the Sarawak BN and chief minister of not doing anything to stop the problem from getting worse, and allowing some of his ministers to destabilise Snap and BN.

PBB Youth to defend party chief

Meanwhile, Taib failed to turn up this morning at a five-star hotel in Kuching to open a major conference, and was immediately unavailable for comment. Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB) Youth wing, which is meeting today, would be issuing a press statement to defend their party chief against Wong's criticisms.

Malaysiakini understands that the Registrar of Societies, which has been monitoring developments in Snap, is expected to declare on or after Sept 2 the legitimate president of the party. The ROS has also written to both factions telling them to resolve their differences by that date, failing which the powerful body would step in.

There is a possibility that unless the two warring factions resolve their stand-off, the party could be deregistered.

Malaysiakini understands that the Mawan's Snap is ready 'for all eventualities'.

In an interview with a local English daily Borneo Post on Sunday, Mawan said he did not discount the possibilities of their group, which comprises five state assemblypersons and four members of parliament, either joining another BN party or forming their own party in what has been described as a worst-case scenario.

Mawan has made known his view that he prefers Snap to remain as a party and is working hard towards achieving that objective.

Not surprisingly, in his acceptance speech on Sunday after being elected president, Mawan held out an olive branch to Wong and other members aligned to him, indicating that he favours a situation where all members would eventually close ranks.

But Wong, who is now left with only one elected representative his son Richard Wong, the state assemblyperson for Limbang on his side and the support of no more than 10 divisions throughout Sarawak out of 60 active divisions, appears to be as adamant as before.

'De facto' leader

In the interview with Bernama , he described himself as the ' de facto ' president of Snap, saying that his door was still open if his detractors wanted to talk, and reiterated that the only place to solve the party's problems was February's triennial general meeting.

"Mawan's group is no longer interested in that," one political observer said. "They will do all that is necessary to meet the ROS' requirements before Sept 2 and take it from there."

Last Sunday's EGM by the Mawan group is seen by some quarters as a trade-in between Wong and the man that must be highest on Wong's list of political enemies Tiong King Sing, the Foochow businessman who is member of parliament for Bintulu.

Mawan not only brought Tiong back into Snap after his sacking by Wong, but also appointed him as the new treasurer-general.

In today's local papers, Dr Judson Sakai Tagal, the newly-appointed secretary-general, replacing Justine Jinggut a pro-Wong leader said his group had to move fast because they expected parliamentary elections to be held early next year and the party must have time to prepare for it.

By publicly implicating Taib in Snap's internal quarrels, Wong may have done more than annoy Taib and his supporters.

"Some of Taib's people may be even calling for his hide now, and it looks like he [Wong] knows he has come to the end of the road."


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