Saturday, June 21, 2008

‘Sandakan rebellion’ fomenting within SAPP - The Star

KOTA KINABALU: Jun 21, 2008

The split emerging from within the Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has been dubbed the “Sandakan rebellion” as it is being led by party leaders of the east coast of the state.

Party deputy president Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah is the assemblyman for Tanjung Papat which is in Sandakan. With him is party youth chief Au Kam Wah, who is assemblyman of Elopura which is also in Sandakan.

They are expected to secure the support of former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Tham Nyip Shen, an ex-Elopura assemblyman.

“Whatever action I am taking from now is on my own prerogative,” said Tan, who is Deputy Chief Minister and state Infrastructure Development Minister.

He and Au were seen leaving immediately after yesterday’s SAPP supreme council meeting and did not stay for the press conference.

He later told The Star that he was preparing to brief Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman as to what had transpired at the meeting.

Tan said at the meeting, he told members that the party could not proceed with the motion against the Prime Minister after deciding to remain in the ruling coalition.

“How could we move a motion against the very leader of the coalition to which we belong? That is utterly confusing,” he said.

He added that meeting dragged on for hours when the SAPP supreme council members debated at length over the matter.

“There was no consensus on the motion against the Prime Minister. There was a split,” Tan said.

When contacted, Au said he supported Tan’s motion at the supreme council to reject Yong’s no-confidence move.

He however was reluctant to say if he was moving in tangent with Tan in the so-called Sandakan rebellion.

No comments: