The no-confidence motion against embattled Sarawak United People's Party (Supp) chief Dr George Chan is not likely to be tabled at the party's special delegates conference (SDC) next Sunday in Kuching.

From published comments made by some of Chan's supporters, including the Miri branch deputy chairperson Peter Chin, they are unlikely to agree to add the no-confidence motion to the items already determined as the SDC's agenda.

"Quite obviously, they are opting for the second option allowing them a longer time to campaign," Supp Youth chief Alan Sim told malaysiakini today.

He added that he had not heard of anything from party headquarters regarding the letter submitted by party deputy president Law Hieng Ding faction yesterday to request for the motion to be tabled at the SDC.

In this case, the 26-member central working committee (CWC) will have to meet soon to fix a date for another SDC, possibly in the first week of January 2007.

A CWC meeting originally scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled, Sim said.

"I believe the new date for the CWC meeting will be sometime next week"' he said. At least 28 days notice is required to be given for a SDC which should be held within 45 days during a weekend.

Yesterday, three party branches led by their chairpersons - Law Hieng Ding (Meradong), Wong Soon Koh (Sibu) and Dr Jerip Susil - jointly requisitioned for the no-confidence motion to be tabled at the SDC.

In the presence of some 100 people, including some key leaders of the party and branch leaders from throughout Sarawak, they said in a joint statement they wanted Chan, who is deputy chief minister, to stand down as party president for various reasons, as a way to regain some public confidence the party had lost since Chan took over in 1997.

After chairing a meeting of his own faction at Supp headquarters today, Chan said in a statement that "if they really love and care for the party and its unity, they should not have done what they did in Kuching on Dec 1, 2006."

"Such action has resulted in great disunity among party members and is a blatant disregard for party unity and discipline," he added.

Difficult time

Chan appealed to party members to remain calm and united "at this difficult time and continue to serve the people rather than scheming and planning for personal gains and positions."

For the most parts of the one-page statement, Chan took a swipe at the party's deputy secretary-general Wong Soon Koh, a senior state minister, who is widely reported as likely to take over the party as president if Chan steps down or is forced to do so.

Chan's opponents have clearly indicated they want him to resign immediately or at least well before the next parliamentary elections. They have largely blamed his "weak and indecisive leadership" for the party's heavy losses in the state elections this year.

The party lost eight of the19 seats constituencies it contested, mainly in Chinese-majority areas in Kuching, Sibu, Meradong and Bintulu.

So far the Miri branch has come out publicly to declare its support for Chan. Kuching appears to be divided or have not declared their stand, and many other branches are said to be watching closely.

"Most appear to be ready to abandon ship if they think it is sinking and to throw their support behind what is clearly a Sibu/Meradong-engineered move to oust Chan," observers noted.