ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE: Leaders of SUPP units in Sibu pledge to sink and swim with Wong (fourth left). Kuo and Kong are at fourth and third right respectively while at third left is the organising chairman of the singing contest Ying Tien Chai.
SIBU: Infighting in SUPP appears to deepen further, with its Sibu branch chairman Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh confirming on Saturday night he had received a letter from the party’s disciplinary committee.
This came amid talks that action would be taken against him by the rival faction led by Tan Sri Peter Chin, who gained control of the party’s Central Committee in their TDC election, which Wong’s faction said was illegally held due to irregularities.
The heat of the argument reached the Registrar of Societies (ROS) when Wong’s faction lodged numerous complaints, which ROS said it was probing now.
Ever since the party was split into two factions following the TDC in 2011, the two groups had been engaging in a war of words.
The Central Committee had since sacked two members and issued disciplinary letters to four members, all of whom are from Wong’s faction.
Admitting on Saturday that he had finally received the letter, Wong, who is also the Second Finance Minister and Minister of Local Government and Community Development, chose not to reveal its content for the time being.
He said he was looking into it and would make a statement at an appropriate time.
This had led to wild guesses that the Central Committee under Chin’s faction wanted to sack Wong.
Although pressed by reporters on this, Wong remained tight-lipped; it is understood that he is given 14 days to reply to the letter on why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
Wong did not indicate what he would do next, but it was expected that members of his faction would stand solidly behind him.
In calling for the spirit of solidarity among them, one of the leaders in Wong’s faction said: “One for all, and all for one. If you (Chin’s faction) take action against one member, you are acting against all of us.”
Wong made the confirmation that he received the letter when gracing the singing contest organised by four SUPP units here at 1Malaysia Village.
The four units are Naman sub-branch, Sibu Jaya service centre, Stabau service centre and Lanang service centre.
Heads of six party units, including those from the service centres in Paradom and Engkilo, pledged to sink and swim with Wong.
They regarded the action of the Central Committee members “as deliberately picking on them (Wong’s faction)”.
Chairman of Naman Sub-branch Kong Tze Ling described the action as lacking justice and unfair.
He felt to let the allegation of election irregularities laid to rest, SUPP should call for a fresh election instead “but they are not doing that”.
To chairman of Lanang service centre Oliver Kuo, the letter was sent at an inappropriate time – when the spirit in the party had hit rock bottom.
“We should be talking about solidarity to build up the party, and not causing further split by arming themselves with the disciplinary letters,” Kuo said of the Central Committee.
Proclaiming they would stand united behind Wong, he said: “The reality is SUPP cannot afford further split and infighting; the party should review and examine the root cause.
“What we need now is the spirit of solidarity to rejuvenate the party, and not actions to deepen the infighting.”