KUCHING: The fate of Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) is still hanging in the balance with no word from Registrar of Societies (ROS) yet on the party’s reply to the show-cause letter issued to it.
SUPP secretary-general Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian said the party has replied to the show-cause letter which was issued by ROS on June 6, to explain why the party should not be deregistered.
Dr Sim revealed that the reply was submitted on June 28 but the party has yet to receive any response from ROS.
“Whether it is yes (deregistered) or no (not deregistered)…we are eager to receive the reply as soon as possible because we want to move on,” he told a press conference yesterday.
At the same time, Dr Sim hoped that ROS will tell the party whether there are any other letters that the party may have to reply to because the party wants to “settle the matter once and for all”.
SUPP was served with the show-cause letter for alleged irregularities committed by its two branches – Piasau and Bekenu – during the party’s Dec 2011 Triennial Delegates Conference (TDC).
Complaints were made against 14 of its branches before and after the TDC for irregularities and violations of the party’s constitution but only Piasau and Bekenu branches were served with show-cause letters.
The 14 branches were Kuching, Pending, Padungan, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Bintangor, Repok, Sibu, Kanowit, Bintulu, Bekenu, Piasau, Julau and Song.
The party’s TDC was allegedly marred by irregularities which led to a faction aligned to Sibu branch chairman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh boycotting it.
Together with Wong are Datuk Lee Kim Shin (Senadin), Ranum Mina (Opar), Datuk Francis Harden (Simanggang), Dr Johnical Rayong (Engkilili) and Dr Jerip Susil (Bengoh) while the other faction is led by Tan Sri Peter Chin.
Asked on whether the party’s disciplinary committee (DC) would issue a show-cause letter to Wong, Dr Sim replied that he had yet to receive the findings from the committee.
He said the findings of the DC will be submitted to the central working committee (CWC) for the letter (show-cause), if any, to be served.
Secretary of the DC Matthew Chen, who was also present at the conference, declined to dwell further on the matter when asked.
“When the time comes, you’ll know whether the show-cause letter will be issued or not,” he repeated when pushed further.
He pointed out that the matter is “highly confidential” and would not want to reveal it prematurely.