KUCHING: Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP) vice-president Sylvester Entri Muran yesterday said he was both “upset and disappointed” that he would be not able to attend the party’s Supreme Council meeting to be held at its headquarters this afternoon.
The Assistant Minister for Public Utilities (Water Supply) expressed regret that he would be absent from the meeting as he would be away overseas on official duty.
“I informed the party that I will not be around tomorrow (today) immediately after being notified so I thought the meeting would be changed to another date but since the meeting will go on as scheduled there’s nothing I can do.
“What I am worried about is that some irresponsible party members will be accusing me of not attending the meeting on purpose like what they have been saying all this while,” he lamented.
He told The Borneo Post this yesterday when asked whether he would be attending the Supreme Council meeting today.
“I have no problem of attending the party’s meeting or other activities unlike what some members have claimed in the media. I am really hurt when certain quarters start to imply that I purposely try to avoid attending party meetings.
“Such statement is totally inaccurate, baseless and irresponsible because record shows that every time our Supreme Council meeting was convened I would be away on outstation duties,” he said.
He added that he could not understand why the meeting dates always clashed with his official programmes although he was quick to say that it was up to the party president to choose whichever date was suitable and convenient to him.
“As in my case I don’t really know whether the clashes of meeting dates and my outstation duties were just a coincidence or what. Initially I thought it was (coincidence) but now it has become a routine.
“This upsets me because at times there are things to discuss in the meeting but unfortunately I could not be present when I have to attend to other official matters elsewhere,” he said.
He quipped that it was never possible for anyone to be present at two different occasions at the same time.
“I am not sure whether all other Supreme Council members will attend the meeting tomorrow. All I know is that I will be absent but with apology,” said Entri.