ROS absolves party of wrongdoing in last TDC, revokes deregistration of branches
Chin shows one of the letters at the news conference. Looking on are Dr Sim (seated), Ting (standing centre), organising secretary Datuk Alfred Yap (left) and vice-president Andy Chia. — Photo by Tan Song Wei
KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) has received a letter from the Registrar of Societies (ROS) saying that it is satisfied with the party’s reply to its show-cause letter on why the party should not be de-registered following complaints over irregularities in the party’s last Triennial Delegates Conference (TDC) in 2011.
ROS has also revoked the deregistration of SUPP’s Bekenu and Piasau branches last year following an appeal by the party.
Party president Tan Sri Peter Chin told a news conference after chairing the party’s central working committee (CWC) meeting at the SUPP headquarters here last night. The party received two letters dated yesterday from the Home Minister’s office and ROS respectively informing them of the decisions.
Chin said a letter which was addressed to the party’s secretary-general from ROS informed the party its explanation to the show-cause letter issued under Section 13(2) of Societies Act had been accepted.
“ROS agreed to accept our explanation and therefore, ROS decided not to carry on with deregistering the party.”
With its legal troubles over, Chin said the way is now clear for the party to hold its triennial delegates conference (TDC) later this year as planned.
“Tonight, I am very happy to report that a very long-standing issue that the party has been facing has been properly resolved. This long-standing issue has been causing us a lot of soul-searching among our leaders.
“The minister’s office has sent us two letters dated April 30. One is addressed to Bekenu chairman, and the gist of the letter is to inform that our appeal for Bekenu branch under Section 18 of Societies Act 1966 has been accepted. It means our appeal is successful and Bekenu is a legal entity.
“SUPP Piasau branch chairman Datuk Sebastian Ting also received a similar letter, conveying to him the same message. So from this day, both our branches are legal,”
He hoped members state-wide would accept and abide by the decisions of the minister and ROS, adding they should not have different interpretation on the outcome of the 2011 TDC.
When asked if he would adhere to Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s formula of 50/50 leadership representation between his faction and Sibu branch chairman Dato Seri Wong Soon Koh’s faction to resolve the party’s internal feud, Chin said he never attended any meeting with Barisan Nasional top leaders to discuss the amicable solution.
“I was not there, so I do not know what was being discussed. The present CWC is now being accepted.
“Now this episode is concluded, so I do not think the question of how to divide the CWC needs to be discussed at all.”
Chin thanked the chief minister for assisting the party in resolving the long-standing issue.
“His pronouncement that SUPP should not be deregistered has helped the process of appeal and decision-making. So I would like to thank the chief minister for his support for the party and hopefully he will continue to support the party in terms of bringing back the party to the mainstream of politics to prepare for the next state election.”