Sabah Progressive Party (Sapp) is working to counteract moves by a group of former leaders to undermine the party’s strength in Sandakan.

In a statement to Malaysiakini , the party claimed that the group, allegedly led by former deputy president Raymond Tan, has been spreading rumours about thousands having resigned from the party.

This is a lie meant to deceive the people and the Barisan Nasional (BN) leadership, said the statement issued after a Sapp supreme council meeting today.

sapp and barisan nasional shattered alliance “For one month, Sapp has been working on rebuilding and strengthening itself in Sandakan due to the departure of leaders in the municipality after Sapp ( pulled out of the) BN coalition state government.

“Sapp is greatly encouraged by the people of Sandakan who fervently urge (us) to rebuild the party. Sapp promises that it will not let (them) down.”

The party expressed gratitude to grassroots leaders and members who have remained loyal in spite of attempts by those quitting the party, especially in Tanjong Papat, to block Sandakan members from meeting leaders.

“We are proud that many members have voluntarily contacted the party headquarters, supreme council members and local leaders to affirm that they will not leave the party,” said the statement.

“Some members have even travelled all the way to the headquarters in Kota Kinabalu to enquire about their membership status after reading news reports of their ‘mass resignations’ from the party in Sandakan.”

Branches to be reoorganised

The party also announced the appointment of Kassim Amir Hussein, who has served the party in various capacities since its formation in 1994, as a new supreme council member.

raymond tan Among changes to various central liaison committees (CLCs), the new Tanjong Papat chairperson is Poon Kee Yang.Poon, who replaces Tan (right) and will reactivate the committee.

‘The appointment is to establish a team to help Poon build up Sapp in this constituency in order to recapture this seat for (the party). Poon is a founder-member of the party and has served continuously as supreme council member from 1994.”

The party said the CLCs will now reorganise the branches and reactivate membership, as well as recruit new members. Several gatherings have been held over the last two weeks and more will be held in the coming month.

new members joins sabah sapp 301008 02 At a gathering at the party’s Elopura office on Oct 27 and another held in Sekong on Oct 28, some 526 members were welcomed into the fold. Sapp president Yong Teck Lee accepted their applications forms.

In the next two months, training programmes and induction courses have been arranged in 15 districts consisting of 45 state constituencies.

“The party targets to increase the membership from the current 40,000 to 60,000 by 2010, spread over the 60 state constituencies in Sabah and one parliamentary seat of Labuan FT,” added the statement.

The supreme council has yet to decide if it will contest the Pensiangan by-election. However, it will form branches in the Nabawan constituency and expand the number of branches in the Sook constituency, which together come under the Pensiangan parliamentary seat.

The seat, which BN’s Joseph Kurup had won uncontested during nominations on Feb 24, was declared vacant by the Kota Kinabalu Election Court on Sept 8. It upheld a petition filed by PKR member Danny Anthony Andipai.