Najib: SAPP will be given a chance to defend itself

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has been given 30 days to explain itself for breaking ranks with Barisan Nasional (BN) and stating that it will table a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The decision on the show-cause letter was reached after a two-hour BN supreme council meeting that was convened to discuss the fate of the Sabah-based party whose leaders have criticised Abdullah’s administration.

BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak said BN council members had viewed the SAPP matter as one that was “serious and which could bring disaster to BN”.

“Their decision to move a motion of no-confidence (in Dewan Rakyat) is in opposition to BN and touches on integrity and discipline in the coalition and we feel it is right to send them a show-cause letter.”

Najib said: “They need to respond within 30 days. After they do that, and taking into consideration any developments within that period, the council will decide whether the party is given a warning, is suspended or is expelled.”

He added that any disciplinary action would only be taken after the 30 days was up as the council wanted to be “procedurally correct”.

“Natural justice must be practised by the coalition, in that (SAPP is) given the opportunity to defend itself before the supreme council makes a final decision.”

Najib said SAPP was not invited to the meeting as its actions were in breach of BN discipline.

“We will not pre-empt whatever decision. It will depend on their reply and events in the next 30 days. I don’t know what to expect. We expect the best but we are prepared for the worst.”

Asked whether BN was being too lenient with SAPP, Najib said: “It’s not a matter of not being firm. We are just following procedure.

“Even in Umno, we would issue a show-cause letter first to an individual who breaches discipline and disciplinary action will only be taken after that.

“That involves an individual, what more when it involves a party, and one which has many members.”

On whether SAPP president Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee would be called to explain his actions, he said: “Well, if there’s a request. Let’s see what kind of reply we get from them first.”

Sabah Progressive Party’s journey

- DATUK Seri Yong Teck Lee (then party deputy president) quit the opposition Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) on Jan 20, 1994, and announced his decision to form the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP).

- SAPP was officially registered by Yong on Jan 22, 1994 in Kuala Lumpur.

- Feb 1, 1994. After discussions with then deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Yong announced that SAPP will join Barisan Nasional (BN) and contest under the coalition’s symbol in the Sa-bah state elections on Feb 18 and 19 of that year.

- Feb 19, 1994. Under the BN ticket, SAPP won three state seats: Yong in Likas, Datuk Tham Nyip Shen (Elopura) and Raymond Tan Shu Kiah (Tanjong Papat).

- Feb 22, 1994: Two PBS state assemblymen - Datuk Micheal Lim Yun Sang (Sri Tanjong) and Datuk Chau Chin Tang (Sembulan) - crossed over to the SAPP bringing its representation in the state assembly to five.

- March 24, 1994: After the state election, Yong was made deputy chief minister and minister of local government and housing.

In a state cabinet reshuffle in November 1995, he relinquished his local government and housing portfolio and assumed the finance portfolio.

- May 28, 1996: Yong was appointed the chief minister of Sabah, the second Chinese leader to assume the post, after Datuk Peter Lo.

- June 8, 2001: The Kota Kinabalu High Court declared Yong’s victory against Dr Chong Eng Leong of PBS for the Likas state seat null and void because of phantom voters. Yong had won with a 4,962 majority.

- March 9, 2008: Jubilant that the SAPP won the two parliamentary and four state seats it contested, Yong hoped the party’s good showing in Sabah would result in a bigger representation of its leaders at the state and federal governments.

- March 19, 2008: The cabinet line up was announced but no representation was given to SAPP. Yong said SAPP had submitted the names of Sepanggar member of parliament Datuk Eric Majimbun and Tawau MP Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui to the Prime Minister for consideration.

However, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) president Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Datuk Liew Vui Keong were appointed deputy ministers instead. Both LDP and PBRS are smaller parties compared with SAPP.

- April 17: Yong told the press that there had been no development since a meeting between the prime minister and Sabah BN leaders on April 7. He also hinted that he would give BN until August to resolve the issues in Sabah or SAPP members might leave the coalition.

- June 16: Amid reports that the party is on the verge of leaving BNl, SAPP deputy president Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said the party had no intention of ditching the coalition.

“No, it (leaving the BN) is absolutely not true,” he said.

- June 18: Yong announced that its two MPs, Datuk Eric Majimbun of Sepanggar and Datuk Dr Chua Soon Bui of Tawau, will file a motion of no- confidence against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when Parliament sits on June 23.

- June 21: Affter a day-long emergency meeting, SAPP supreme council leaders endorsed Yong’s move and reaffirmed the party’s decision to call for a no-confidence vote against Abdullah.

- June 23: The two MPs who were supposed to file the motion of no-confidence were absent from Parliament proceedings. Majimbun claimed that he had to attend a relative’s funeral, while Chua could not be contacted.

By : Jennifer Gomez

www.nst.com.my